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

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

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

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

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

SHOICHI MAKI is played by Christian Bale

THE PARAKEET KING is played by Dave Bautista

NATSUKO is played by Gemma Chan

NOBLE PELICAN is played by Willem Dafoe

LADY HIMI is played by Karen Fukuhara

GRANDUNCLE is played by Mark Hamill

GRAY HERON is played by Robert Pattinson

KIRIKO is played by Florence Pugh

MAHITO MAKI is played by Luca Padovan

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

More About The Boy and the Heron

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

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

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

Originally published on October 17, 2023.

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

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

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

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

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

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The Boy and the Heron, the newest Studio Ghibli movie and possibly Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, has treated us to a very slow reveal. For a long time, all we saw from the movie was a poster with a mysterious heron on it. Next, we saw some beautiful stills that carried all the hallmarks of a Studio Ghibli movie created by Hayao Miyazaki. Now, the movie has released has released several trailers to help whet our appetite. The Boy and the Heron‘s US teaser trailer sets its American theater release date. But most importantly, we finally get to see some of The Boy and the Heron in action across the movie’s US and international trailers. The might of nature, the existential threat of death, and a stunning soundtrack? Yep. Sign us up for this latest Studio Ghibli movie.

The Boy and the Heron’s Official US Trailer

The Boy and the Heron isn’t ready to surrender all of its secrets in this teaser trailer, though. Haunting music guides us through flashes of different scenes. We see a heron, of course, and follow our protagonist as he delves deep into yet another surreal and magical Miyazaki world. There’s even a brand new adorable Studio Ghibli creature for us to coo over.

The Boy and the Heron‘s teaser trailer notes, “Where death comes to an end. Life finds new beginning.” It could be ominous… or hopeful. Isn’t that what a Miyazaki movie is all about?

More Footage of the Studio Ghibli Movie Revealed in International Trailers

In addition to the footage from the US trailer for The Boy and the Heron, new scenes from the movie have been revealed in the French and Korean trailers for the film. Take a look below.

Korean trailer of "The Boy and the Heron" (Hayao Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli).
It also reveals new footage from the film.pic.twitter.com/rjJSG5YAyl https://t.co/C6PzLVTwz0

— Catsuka (@catsuka) October 2, 2023

French trailer of "The Boy and the Heron" (Hayao Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli).
It reveals new footage from the film.pic.twitter.com/t4CaxoKBn9

— Catsuka (@catsuka) October 2, 2023

To further celebrate The Boy and the Heron‘s release in South Korea, a music video from artist Kenshi Yonezu, titled “Spinning Globe,” was also released. This music video features a ton of new footage from Miyazaki’s latest Studio Ghibli movie.

The Boy and the Heron‘s Synopsis

In addition to new footage, the trailer for The Boy and the Heron reveals precious insight into the Studio Ghibli movie’s plot. It notes:

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

We do love a good tribute to friendship—and the themes of life, death, and creation are guaranteed to make us cry. It’s a good thing we don’t have to wait too long for this movie to arrive in theaters. This movie was also introduced initially as Hayao Miyazaki’s final Studio Ghibli movie. Of course, there have been many “final” Studio Ghibli movies before, but if this is in fact the last, we’re sure we’ll see that reflected in the content as well.

The Boy and the Heron‘s Release Date

The Boy and the Heron will be released in movie theaters on December 8. The new Studio Ghibli movie will play in regular and IMAX theaters.

Originally published on September 6, 2023.

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We love horror here at Nerdist, but we were kids once too. Not every kid watches A Nightmare on Elm Street at eight years old. Some of us watched regular old cartoons. But, those of us who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s can tell you some of those were scary as hell too. Everyone just wanted to terrify children back then. D’ose were da days. To that end, members of the Nerdist team have delved into their own kinder-fears to give you examples of episodes of cartoons that traumatized us.

We should point out, we’re pretty much leaving out anything that was inherently terrifying. Like Courage the Cowardly Dog, for example. That sh*t was designed to be scary every week. Picking an episode of this would be too easy. Anyway, without further ado.

Rocko’s Modern Life – “To Heck and Back”

To immediately contradict the above, it’s entirely possible Rocko’s Modern Life, Nickelodeon’s fourth Nicktoon which premiered in 1993, was in fact meant to terrify kids. The show, about a Wallaby’s foibles of daily existence, has some of the creepiest and most grotesque imagery this side of Ren & Stimpy. However, I don’t think anything was as nightmare fueling from that series as “To Heck and Back,” the second cartoon of the eleventh episode of the series. In it, Rocko’s best friend Heffer Wolfe (a cow) chokes to death on a chicken bone and as Rocko tries in vain to save him, has a truly disturbing trip to Heck where he meets the avatar of death itself, named Peaches.

It’s not merely that Heffer dies (he has Xs for eyes!) but it’s that Peaches at the end takes off his black hood to reveal his head is made of cow udders and sprays milk everywhere. It’s one of the most vivid memories I have of this entire show, because it scared the poop out of me. – Kyle Anderson

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends – “The Bride of Dracula!”

Saturday morning cartoons in the ‘80s loved using classic monsters, but always watered them down to a ridiculous degree. One of those times was when Dracula popped up on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and hypnotized Angelica Jones into becoming his bride. He didn’t even know she was the superhero Firestar, he just had a thing for redheads. He might not have picked her if he knew was a living sun. Oops.

In the episode, Vlad takes her to Transylvania, where his Frankenstein and werewolf henchman fight Spidey and Iceman who come to save her. The idea that Drac might just randomly pop into a school dance and choose you as his victim is actually pretty scary when one is nine years old. And his werewolf henchman Bruno was actually scarier to any kid than Dracula, and stuck in my mind longer. Sadly, Dracula doesn’t bite anyone, but at least he’s not as lame as Super Friends Dracula, who turned people into vampires with eye beams. -Eric Diaz

Rugrats – “Under Chuckie’s Bed”

As a late ‘80s baby and ‘90s kid, Rugrats was a huge part of my cartoon lineup. I loved watching those silly babies with large heads go on ridiculous adventures. But one journey I didn’t love was when Chucky made his transition from a crib to a big boy bed in “Under Chuckie’s Bed.” I was long out of the crib stage at this point. However, I still had some serious anxiety about monsters lurking in every shadow of my room, including under my bed. And watching A Nightmare on Elm Street while living on Elm Street didn’t bolster my confidence about sleeping in a bed alone.

Hearing a voice call out to Chuckie, attempting to bribe him into the darkness under his bed with candy gave me chills. Of course, Angelica makes it worse with her story about Barnaby Jones, in which we see Barnaby getting pulled into the abyss in a very It-like fashion. Sure, Chuckie’s monster was only a sweater in the end but the possibility of ending up like Barnaby loomed in my mind. – Tai Gooden

Yu-Gi-Oh! – “Evil Spirit of the Ring”

At its heart, Yu-Gi-Oh! has some truly excellent horror bones. After all, the main conceit of the show is that its characters are basically getting possessed by ancient spirits all of the time. Even the friendlier ones don’t exactly always ask permission. But no character brings the creeps and chills quite like Yami Bakura. And that’s why his introductory episode is the one that makes this list. While other Bakura episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! are arguably scarier, like his eyeball-filled Battle City duel with Yami Yugi or his graveyard-set, zombie-ridden encounter with the aptly named Bones, this episode is the most quintessentially creepy and also has a great feeling of Halloween.

For starters, “Evil Spirit of the Ring” takes place in the Shadow Realm and involves characters getting their souls sent to a graveyard where they’re chased by the Grim Reaper and see their names on gravestones. And on top of that, Yu-Gi-Oh’s main gang get to play dress up during this episode in true Halloween style. They’re transformed into monsters on the playing field and literally become their favorite cards. It’s horrifying from the perspective of their experience, but also a lot of fun. Taken together, this eerie episode of Yu-Gi-Oh! summons not only evil the spirit of the Millennium Ring but also the spirit of tricks and treats. – Rotem Rusak

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island

I’m gonna cheat a little here and pick the movie Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. While not technically an episode of the television show, this direct-to-video horror classic made regular appearances on Cartoon Network throughout my childhood and left a lasting impact on my love of all things spooky. With a more serious and genuinely scary tone than the previous adventures of Scoobert-Doo and company, Zombie Island was an essential piece of gateway horror that felt exciting and dangerous and is undoubtedly responsible for spawning many lifelong fans of the genre. – Alison Mattingly

Beetlejuice – “Laugh of the Party”

As a kid I thought the Beetlejuice animated series was the greatest thing on TV, I just couldn’t articulate why. My child analysis was mostly limited to saying, “It’s really funny!” Now, as an adult with an expanded vocabulary and greater media literacy, I realize young me nailed it. If you want to see why go back and watch the show’s delightful first Halloween episode, “Laugh of the Party.” It features Beetlejuice attempting to throw a real-world Halloween bash using Neitherworld aides. Predictably that leads to a hilarious disaster.

The episode, like the entire show, totally holds up thanks to the cartoon’s timeless comedic sensibilities. The series blended silly and smart humor via absurdist gags, memorable characters, and clever wordplay. That was all anchored by the genuine friendship between Lydia and the Ghost with the Most. Their partnership made every party, even ones with Halloween monsters running amok, worth attending. -Michael Walsh

BONUS: Turbo Teen

I can’t pick a single episode of this bizarre 1984 series (which I saw later in the ’80s) because the entire thing is messed up. I’m all for things changing into other things in cartoons. Hell, Transformers was my absolute jam. Even people turning into animals, or animals turning into human-like things. I loved all of it. So why, then, was Turbo Teen so upsetting? Well, have you seen it?! It’s about a teenager who has the power to turn into a car. He’s not mechanical, mind you. He can just turn his body into a sports car. The transformation sequence, which they showed ad nauseum in every episode, is almost more harrowing than the similar scene in An American Werewolf in London.

I mean, just look at this monstrosity!

His face turns into the car’s grill! His friends sit inside him! That’s as gross as it gets. – Kyle Anderson

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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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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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Disney fans of all ages know what can happen when you wish upon a star. But soon they’ll get to see what happens when you wish with Star, the cosmic being of energy at the heart of the Mouse House’s upcoming animated movie Wish. He’s far from the only notable member of the film. The trailer also serves as an introduction to Ariana DeBose’s Asha and Alan Tudyk’s talking goat Valentino. They’ll be joined by Hollywood royalty, Chris Pine‘s King Magnifico.

That might sound like a dream come true, but this is one Chris Pine character we’ll be wishing comes up short.

Seventeen is a tough enough age without having to save your entire community. But that’s exactly what Asha and her surprisingly deep-voiced goat pal will have to do for Rosas, “the kingdom of wishes.” That magical land off the Iberian Peninsula is the setting for Disney’s Wish.

Fortunately the two will have help from a very special being. Here’s the movie’s official synopsis from Disney:

In Wish, Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. 

Wish comes from directors Chris Buck (Frozen, Frozen 2) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon). It also features new songs from Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice and a score by composer Dave Metzger. The musical-comedy comes to theaters this fall, on November 22, 2023.

Originally published on April 27, 2023.

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We’ve seen some awesome, nerdy Airbnbs in our day. We’ve seen a few that look like Hobbit holes and some that emulate the Haunted Mansion or Scooby’s Mystery Machine. But this Airbnb based on the Shrek franchise just might beat them all. Located in Scotland’s Highlands, this is a perfect replica of the home of everyone’s favorite green ogre. Shrek’s Swamp is available for one weekend only, October 27-29 of this year for $0. (We’re guessing Shrek is on vacay that weekend). Bookings open on October 13 at 6 PM BST. So whoever wants to stay there, we wish that the keyboard gods look kindly upon you.

Click To View Gallery

Shrek himself won’t be home, but it appears by the listing that Donkey will greet visitors. This house features everything you’d want from Shrek’s Swamp house that you saw in the movies. It’s got a dirt floor, a wood bed, and a dinner table with a candle designed to mimic the earwax candle. The adherence to Shrek details extends beyond the immediate interiors and exteriors of the house, with “Beware Ogre” and “Stay Out” signs outside. Luckily, the house has an actual working toilet with a sink, so you won’t be forced to use the outhouse like Shrek did in the movies. No one needs that level of sticking to Shrek canon.

So who actually owns this property? All we know is that the Ardverikie Estate owns it. We don’t know why they built it, as it doesn’t seem to be permanently meant for Airbnb. Maybe they’re just the world’s biggest fans of the Kingdom of Far, Far Away, and wanted a little slice of it for themselves? The listing for the Shrek house notes that they paid Universal Studios for the rights to any characters and similarities to the animated franchise. Airbnb is making a one-time donation to Scotland’s HopScotch Children’s Charity as part of this promotion.

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If you read the title The Boy and the Heron, you would assume it’s a charming romp through the Japanese countryside with a boy and his beloved pet bird. But the truth is, The Boy and the Heron is one of legendary Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki’s least whimsical productions. Now 82 years old, the filmmaker is grappling with a subject no less weighty than the idea of legacy and the future survival of the world. Its overall narrative structure is a little less tightly written than some of his other films. And young Mahito proves to be at times an emotionally impenetrable hero. However, The Boy and the Heron is nonetheless a compelling, imaginative entry into the Miyazaki canon.

Our story begins in Tokyo in the midst of World War II, after a hospital fire that claims the life of Mahito’s (Soma Santoki) mother. He is sent to a quieter estate in the countryside where he learns that his important factory owner father has remarried. His new wife is his late wife’s younger sister Natsuko and they are expecting a child together.

Mahito does his best to make this his home, but he still struggles with anger and grief over the passing of his mother. The vision of a mysterious grey heron plagues him with continual harassment. The more he learns about the strange history of the estate, the louder the heron’s cries become, eventually speaking to him. It promises Mahito that it can take him to see his mother and assures him that she’s not actually dead. But it’s only after Natsuko’s kidnapping that Mahito gives in to its requests and follows the heron into another world.

As one might expect, creative and imaginative animation defines The Boy and the Heron. The opening sequence with the fire at Mahito’s mother’s hospital is especially vivid. It creates a frenzied, blurred image that looks almost impressionistic in style. The character design lives up to Miyazaki’s reputation, ranging from the gruesome to the adorable, like the Warawara. They are sweet-looking innocent white puffs that go on to become human babies when sent up to the real world. Also, there is no reason a heron needs a full set of human teeth to gnash menacingly except to make it extra-terrifying, right?

Much of the film takes place in a different realm with a large population of the dead. However, there’s a playful sense of humor throughout. For example, the parakeets, with their unexpected homicidal tendencies and sprawling internal hierarchy, provide much of the comic relief.

The film takes quite a while to get to the action. Alice spends mere minutes in the real world before leaving on her adventures in Wonderland, after all. Meanwhile Mahito remains on the country estate for the entire first third. That’s not to say that the first act is a waste. It brims with a quiet sense of foreboding as the boy and the heron size each other up. But it really begins firing on all cylinders once they arrive in the mysterious other realm.

It’s here that Miyazaki reckons with two major sources of anxiety. There’s what he and his generation are leaving behind for the next and what kind of world the new rulers will create once they inherit it. He seemingly views the world as being on the precipice of disaster. To him, it requires careful balance from open-hearted individuals free of malice to save it from complete destruction.

This is Miyazaki at perhaps his most introspective and emotionally vulnerable, as he casts his eye inward. The original Japanese title of The Boy and the Heron is How Do You Live?. And it is indeed a question at the heart of the film. What will you do with the world once it is given to you, when you can become creator, savior, or destroyer? It shares a title with a seminal work on ethics for children by Genzaburo Yoshino. So it seems these thoughts were not far from Miyazaki’s mind when he created the film.

The Boy and the Heron attempts to blend an old man’s worries about the future with the childlike joy of discovering the world for the first time. It packs every inch of the screen with beauty tinged with a taste of the playfully macabre. Mahito is perhaps not an ideal protagonist, though. He is impassive and emotionally numb for most of the film, making it difficult to connect with him. But although the human characters are on the sparsely written side, the rich world that Miyazaki creates compensates for this. This makes The Boy and the Heron an imperfect but truly mesmerizing feat of animation.

The Boy and the Heron will release in the US on December 8.

The Boy and the Heron ⭐ (4 of 5)

The post Hayao Miyazaki’s THE BOY AND THE HERON Is Imaginative, Beautiful, and Thoughtful appeared first on Nerdist.

Ogres are not known for their fashion, generally speaking. Shrek certainly didn’t make any statements with his grubby tunic and too-small vest. Crocs might change the perception of ogres with an upcoming design, though. These Shrek Crocs, which we first spotted at Hypebeast, bring the grumpy ogre to footwear in a far too lifelike manner. They’re kind of… great. In the style of the Classic Clog and in a hideously perfect slimy green hue, these Shrek Crocs make a statement.

Click To View Gallery

The vibrant color of the Crocs isn’t the only nod to Shrek. The back heel straps are fuzzy and brown, nodding to the character’s brown vest. Shrek’s “S” logo features on the straps. But the real stars of the Shrek Crocs design are the Jibbitz. If you are not a Crocs aficionado, Jibbitz are charms you can attach to Crocs’ signature holes as accessories. Often they are cute. In this case, the Jibbitz add Shrek’s nose and ears, taking the shoes from funky to mildly disturbing. The ears and nose addition truly make the look in our opinion, but if you want less lifelike Shrek Crocs, you can leave the Jibbitz off.

Shrek premiered in 2001. Yes, it really has been that long. Sequels and spinoffs have followed. A fifth Shrek movie is potentially in the works, too. On top of that, Universal announced a DreamWorks-themed land for its Orlando, Florida park. Shrek will surely feature in that. This means you have all the occasions to bust out these Shrek Crocs.

The only bad thing about the Shrek Crocs is that we don’t have a release date yet. We’ll be keeping our eyes on Crocs’ website.

The post We’re Accidentally in Love with These SHREK Crocs appeared first on Nerdist.

More than two decades after they banded together to find freedom our favorite band of plucky birds are back. Only this time they’re not breaking out. They’re breaking in. The first trailer for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Netflix’s long-awaited sequel to the beloved stop-motion classic, features the return of Ginger and her feathered-friends. This time around they’re trying to make their way into a seemingly impenetrable fortress rather than escape from a farm. But while technological advances might be scary, there’s something even more frightening waiting for them behind those imposing walls stands. Inside is something far worse than gun-toting mechanical moles and laser-guided exploding ducks. They’re greatest enemy is back, and time has done nothing to make Mrs. Tweedy any less awful.

We’ve waited a long, long time to see the heroes of 2000’s Chicken Run again. The advent of chicken nuggets will finally force them back into action to save their skin. (Along with their wings, breasts, and thighs.) Only, they’re not just worried about their own group. Here’s Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget‘s official logline from Netflix to compliment the trailer:

For Ginger and the flock, all is at stake when the dangers of the human world come home to roost; they’ll stop at nothing even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk to save chicken-kind. This time, they’re breaking in!

Karey Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell and Rachel Tunnard wrote the film, which Sam Fell directs. In a statement, Fell explained how Mrs. Tweedy will be both the same villain we love while also adding a new dynamic to her terrifying persona. He also offered some insight into a new baddie who will work alongside her:

They say a movie is only as good as its villain and Ginger’s nemesis, Mrs. Tweedy is one of the all-time greats. Now she’s out to take industrial-scale revenge on all chicken-kind with the Dawn of the Nugget. We’ve had so much fun working with Miranda Richardson to transform Melisha Tweedy into the ultimate 1960’s super-villain. Miranda has a unique understanding of drama and comedy, making you laugh while scaring the pants off you in the exact same moment. Also rounding out our fantastic cast is Peter Serafinowicz playing Reginald Smith, a slightly bemused businessman visiting Mrs Tweedy’s giant nugget factory. It takes a particular kind of comic genius to play the foil to Miranda Richardson’s hilariously frightening archvillain. Peter pulls it off with effortless finesse.

The film also stars Thandiwe Newton (Ginger), Zachary Levi (Rocky), Bella Ramsey (Molly), Imelda Staunton (Bunty), Lynn Ferguson (Mac), David Bradley (Fowler), Jane Horrocks (Babs), Romesh Ranganathan (Nick), Daniel Mays (Fetcher), Josie Sedgwick-Davies (Frizzle), Nick Mohammed (Dr. Fry).

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget breaks onto the streaming site in time for Christmas, December 15.

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Over its three decades on television, The Simpsons has produced some very memorable memes. There’s probably a whole generation out there that primarily knows these characters only from memes, which is mildly mortifying. Yes kids, “Old Man Yells at Cloud” is from an actual episode of TV. But the most famous one of these has got to be the one of Homer Simpson backing up into a hedge. Well, now they are preserving that iconic moment…as tennis shoes. We’ve learned, via the folks at DesignTaxi, that Adidas has incorporated this moment into one of their Stan Smith sneakers. You can check out images of this new Homer-inspired footwear down below:

Click To View Gallery

While the entire style of this shoe keeps its classic barebones look, they animate the heel tab with embroidered artwork of the Simpson family’s perpetually befuddled patriarch retreating into a lush backdrop of green fleece. Although this moment usually signifies shame or embarrassment on social media, no one would feel shame wearing this amazing vegan leather shoe. The shoe’s tongue also features a reference to this Simpsons moment, with Homer’s face partially hidden underneath the laces. The sides now feature his name in place of the Stan Smith logo.

Along with some custom sock liners, these shoes arrive in a specially designed box memorializing the Homer meme. And that truly completes the package. Also, there are the iconic Adidas triple stripes envisioned as a part of the foliage that Homer retreats into. This Homer Simpson tennis shoe is actually the second Stan Smith shoe drawing inspiration from the legendary series. Homer’s wife Marge got her own special shoe last year. These specially designed The Simpsons Stan Smith shoes come at a price of $120.00, this amusing edition to the timeless footwear is now available for purchase via various Adidas retailers and online.

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Fionna and Cake (the alternate versions of Finn and Jake, obviously) are coming to the rescue in their own Adventure Time spinoff series on HBO Max! The adorable duo will go on a ten-episode journey in the land of Ooo as they face off against a new foe. The former Ice King Simon Petriov will come in for the assist and, like the original series, it is going to be a heartfelt adventure, indeed. The trailer for Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake is full of action and an appearance from Finn and Jake, too. 

Fans of the beloved Adventure Time series will absolutely geek out over this clip. There are glimpses of the Farmworld and Farmworld Finn, among other fun things. We get some relatable moments with Fionna. She doesn’t want to go to work and is over the people in her city. Fionna begins to get closer to her dreams when she ends up in a new place. Then, we get the expected absurdity from this wonderfully weird world with all sorts of creatures.

Fionna and Cake’s spirits and camaraderie shine brightly in this clip as they get into their great adventure. And, the Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake trailer captures this universe’s unique brand of humor and action. It’s been a couple of years since we got the limited series Adventure Time: Distant Lands, as well as the announcement for this show. Yes, the 2020s continues to feel like one very long year.

It has been a slightly long wait, but the show’s debut is very, very close. Considering the state of the world, an Adventure Time saga is just what we need right now. This is a place where the fun never ends.

Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake is coming to Max on August 31.

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With The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart now streaming, Nerdist’s Adam Murray is sitting back down at the Venture Compound to take a look at your biggest theories, questions, and corrections from his timeline as he fills in the gaps on today’s video!

The COMPLETE Venture Bros. Timeline: https://youtu.be/p8YteNFDeT8

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse made an impact when it arrived in theaters in June. It shook up the box office while continuing the striking storytelling and animation from Into the Spider-Verse (at a cost, however, because animators alleged harsh working conditions). The film explores the next chapter of Miles Morales’ story, which stretches across the multiverse. While it’s still about Miles, Across the Spider-Verse focuses on Gwen Stacy as well. You can watch the first 10 minutes of Across the Spider-Verse below—10 minutes that follow Spider-Gwen.

This preview comes with the home release of Across the Spider-Verse and sets the stage for the emotion ahead. Like Miles, or any of the Spider-Mans we meet in comics, Gwen wrestles with her dual identity. She goes through life as Gwen Stacy but also as Spider-Gwen. Her father is a cop who disregards masked vigilantes. Gwen’s life unfolds on separate paths. And like any version of Spider-Man, Gwen loses someone close to her: her best friend Peter Parker. Then her dad blames the “Spider-Woman” for Peter’s death. These opening scenes of Across the Spider-Verse depict the loss in Gwen’s recent past and how she’s struggled since.

Did we mention Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a very emotional movie? We can’t wait to see what happens next in the third installment, Beyond the Spider-Verse. Though originally slated for March 2024, Sony removed the film from its release calendar. We’ll likely see a new release date when AMPTP steps up to pay striking actors and writers fairly.

In the meantime, you don’t have to stop watching after these gorgeous 10 minutes. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is available to buy on digital.

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The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated film Mutant Mayhem isn’t even out yet. However, Paramount is apparently feeling confident that they have a winner on their hands. So much so that according to Variety, Paramount+ is planning a two-season series that will bridge the gap between Mutant Mayhem and its greenlit sequel. This new sequel movie doesn’t have a name yet, but the streaming show has the title Tales of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Jeff Rowe, who also directed and co-wrote Mutant Mayhem will direct the movie sequel. Chris Yost (The Mandalorian, Thor: Ragnarok) and Alan Wan (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series) will serve as executive producers and showrunners. Lukas Williams will oversee both the series and sequel for Point Grey Pictures. This is the company of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who’ve also brought us The Boys and soon, Gen V. The last few live-action projects with the Turtles didn’t land as expected. It seems Paramount is really looking at animation as the Turtles’ future.

Returning from Mutant Mayhem for the Paramount+ series are Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon as the turtles. According to the official description for the series, the heroes in a half shell will be challenged like never before. Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey each choose to forge a path alone for the first time. New dangers will await them, but they’ll also reunite with old friends to take on new threats. The Turtles will discover who they really are when they don’t have their brothers at their sides.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem hits theaters on August 2. We expect the new streaming series to premiere sometime in 2024, just in time for the Turtles’ 40th anniversary.

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Imagine a similar world where there are beings who look very much like aliens but have to deal with the same crap we do. It sounds really interesting and weird, right? That’s exactly what happens in Strange Planet. Nathan W. Pyle’s bestselling graphic novel follows a few otherworldly beings who are trying to get through the day. This absurd universe is coming to life in an Apple TV+ animated series, also titled Strange Planet, and we get a taste of it in a wacky trailer. 

Here’s a brief synopsis to further bring this Strange Planet trailer into focus: 

Strange Planet is a hilarious and perceptive look at a distant world not unlike our own. Set in a whimsical world of cotton candy pinks and purples, relatable blue beings explore the absurdity of everyday human traditions.

Strange Planet will drop the first three of its ten episodes on August 9. After that, there will be weekly drops for the remainder of its season, with a finale on September 27. Honestly, I feel bad for the little alienlike beings in this world. Imagine being very blue and cool-looking and still having to do regular things on a daily basis. I’d rather be exploring the universe, maybe conquering a planet or five, and experimenting in a sick science lab.

Perhaps I could float in space and eat preposterous foods on a chill day. Instead, Strange Planet‘s creatures have to exercise and drink beverages to stay alert. Hate that for them. It is a fun way to look at our world through unique eyes, so I will allow it. Just like we find bits of joy and humor in our lives, these blue characters also find ways to enjoy their planet.

Naturally, Pyle is an executive producer for this project. Strange Planet‘s cast includes Tunde Adebimpe, Demi Adejuyigbe, Lori Tan Chinn, Danny Pudi, and Hannah Einbinder.

The post STRANGE PLANET Trailer Brings the Popular Cartoon to the Screen appeared first on Nerdist.

Go Team Venture! With the cult classic Adult Swim series set to take a final bow with the upcoming movie, Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart, Nerdist’s resident Venture Bros. expert (and Doctails enthusiast) Adam Murray is diving in to break down the series timeline. From the Gilded Age and Colonel Lloyd Venture to Doc and the Monarch’s complicated family history, this is the complete Venture Bros. timeline!

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Home Depot changed Halloween forever in 2020. Forever, you ask? Surely whatever they did cannot be so pivotal. But reader, the retailer’s introduction of a 12-foot skeleton brought on a whole wave of inventive and massive Halloween decorations. The giant skeleton sold out in 2020, and Home Depot has shown up with increasing quantities for sale ever since. Plus, the retailer has evolved the concept in the last couple of years. This time Home Depot has turned its attention to a different kind of skeleton in the form of a very tall Jack Skellington. The 13-foot Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas is ready to rule over your yard as the Pumpkin King.

Jack Skellington can greet people with two different animations and glowing LEDs that light up his beautiful skeleton head. He comes with two interchangeable face plates to reflect Jack’s different moods. The above photo shows his intimidating Pumpkin King scowl. The other face plate features a warmer expression. Both options feature a moving lower jaw, which pairs with Jack singing “Jack’s Lament.” The 13-foot Jack Skellington sings and dances to three different parts of the iconic Nightmare Before Christmas song. A built-in motion sensor triggers both the mouth and the head so you can rest assured the statue will thoroughly creep out passersby. On the other hand, it will delight trick-or-treaters.

If you already own one of Home Depot’s 12-foot giant skeletons, which fans have nicknamed Skelly, Jack Skellington will no doubt look excellent next to it. Skelly probably won’t be jealous of Jack’s extra height either. As Home Depot continues to develop its giant Halloween decor line, you can grow your display with additional colossal animated statues as your space permits. One can only dream.

The 13-foot Jack Skellington is available from Home Depot for $399.

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Futurama has been missing from our lives for 10 years. We’ve missed that show breaking our brains. Luckily Hulu announced a 20-episode Futurama revival in February 2022. Though the initial news came with the question of whether John DiMaggio would return as Bender (he thankfully did), the dust settled, and the wait for the July release of the revival began. We got a very quick teaser back in May, but the Futurama revival finally has a full trailer for us to enjoy. Take a look below.

They’re back, baby, and excited to be in their new home. The ridiculousness we’ve come to expect from Futurama is certainly there in this revival, and we’re excited to see Fry, Leela, Bender, and the rest of the gang. There sure is a lot happening. There are even massive sandworms. Some of it is, shall we say, too real. But that’s Futurama for you. As the Futurama revival trailer shares, “New Episodes… Same Crew.” Enough said.

The Futurama revival synopsis reveals more about what we can expect. Here’s what it shares about season 11 of the show:

After a brief 10-year hiatus, Futurama has crawled triumphantly from the cryogenic tube, its full original cast and satirical spirit intact. The 10 all-new episodes of season 11 have something for everyone. New viewers will be able to pick up the series from here, while long-time fans will recognize payoffs to decades-long mysteries—including developments in the epic love story of Fry and Leela, the mysterious contents of Nibbler’s litter box, the secret history of evil Robot Santa, and the whereabouts of Kif and Amy’s tadpoles. Meanwhile there’s a whole new pandemic in town as the crew explores the future of vaccines, bitcoin, cancel culture, and streaming TV.

The new season of Futurama will debut on Hulu on July 24. Season 11 has 10 episodes, and they’ll drop weekly.

Originally published on May 18, 2023.

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If you’re going to wash ashore on a remote island and contend for survival, Skull Island isn’t the place you want to do it. Danger lurks around every tree—danger in the form of Kong. The island hides a number a mysteries, and the new animated series Skull Island from Legendary Television and Powerhouse Animation puts a group of characters right into the thick of it. Skull Island debuts on Netflix today, and Nerdist has unique way for you to watch, or rewatch, the first episode. We have live-reaction commentary with series star Nicolas Cantu, who plays Charlie. Watch it here, live at 12:00 p.m. PT.

The watchalong with Cantu is worth taking another trip to the intimidating island. Maybe it’s even worth being shipwrecked.

The synopsis is as follows:

All new Skull Island series, from Legendary Television, takes viewers on a thrilling adventure as a group of kind-hearted explorers rescues Annie (Mae Whitman) from the ocean, unaware that their act of heroism will lead them to the treacherous Skull Island. This enigmatic place is home to bizarre creatures and terrifying monsters, including the mighty titan himself, Kong.

Besides Cantu and Whitman, voice cast includes Darren Barnet, Benjamin Bratt, and Betty Gilpin. Brian Duffield created, wrote, and executive produced the series.

When you’re ready to see what happens next, you can watch all eight episodes of Skull Island on Netflix.

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

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Writer and artist ND Stevenson’s Nimona started as a webcomic on Tumblr in 2012. The story about a shapeshifter who usually takes the form of a human girl was once destined to become an animated feature film from 20th Century Fox Animation. However, it was delayed repeatedly and then canceled, even though the movie was 75% complete. But Netflix circled back and picked up Nimona in April 2022, and now, finally, we have a full trailer for this epic tale. There’s a lot of fun action, color, and adventure to be found in this frankly adorable clip.

Here’s the full synopsis for Nimona:

When Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight in a futuristic medieval world, is framed for a crime he didn’t commit, the only one who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz), a mischievous teen with a taste for mayhem — who also happens to be a shapeshifting creature Ballister has been trained to destroy. But with the entire kingdom out to get him, Nimona’s the best (or technically the only) sidekick Ballister can hope for. And as the lines between heroes, villains, and monsters start to blur, the two of them set out to wreak serious havoc — for Ballister to clear his name once and for all, and for Nimona to…just wreak serious havoc.

What if, indeed? We can see in the trailer that Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) has a mischievous nature. Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) is certainly getting himself into a chaotic adventure when he asks for Nimona’s help.

Nimona‘s tone and style in this trailer is awesome and we can’t wait to see it in its entirety. We’re always eager for animation that just might do something different, and it looks like Nimona will deliver.

Nimona arrives on Netflix on June 30.

Originally published on May 18, 2023.

Featured Image: Netflix

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Look, nobody wants to be shipwrecked anywhere. If it’s a Cast Away situation, you end up talking to a volleyball. In a Swiss Family Robinson scenario, you have build treehouses and stuff. Who wants to do that! But if you end up on Skull Island, as the characters do in Skull Island, you have to contend with giant, bloodthirsty beasts. And you better hope Kong is in a benevolent mood that day. The new Netflix series from Powerhouse Animation will debut on June 22, but the streamer has just released a full-length trailer. Take a look!

The series takes viewers on a thrilling adventure as a group of kind-hearted explorers rescues Annie (Mae Whitman) from the ocean, unaware that their act of heroism will lead them to the treacherous Skull Island. This enigmatic place is home to bizarre creatures and terrifying monsters, including the mighty titan himself, Kong. As the trailer shows, the idea was always to go to Skull Island, but certainly not to strand themselves there. And it seems as though Annie isn’t as helpless as they initially feared.

Skull Island, from Legendary Television, is created, written, and produced by Brian Duffield. The series boasts an impressive ensemble cast, with Nicolas Cantu (Dragons Rescue Riders: Heroes of the Sky, The Fabelmans) lending his voice to the protagonist, Charlie. Joining him are talented voice actors Mae Whitman (Family Guy, DC Super Hero Girls) as Annie; Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever, Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles) as Mike; Benjamin Bratt (Poker Face, Coco) as Cap; and Betty Gilpin (Mrs. Davis, Glow) as Irene.

Skull Island‘s eight-episode first season will drop June 22 on Netflix.

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

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

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Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when a new Avatar: The Last Airbender movie was announced. Yes, we’re getting a cinematic outing that will continue the story of all our favorite characters from the original series. The Gaang, a.k.a Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Toph, and company, will grace our screens again in a brand new movie coming in 2025. Here’s everything we know about the new Avatar: The Last Airbender movie.

Title

The upcoming movie doesn’t have a title yet. So, for now, we’re simply referring to it as the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie‘s Plot

Not much has been revealed about the plot of the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. However, a glimpse at artwork from the film revealed at CinemaCon 2023 showed us all our favorite characters looking a little older than we left them. Possibly the group is somewhere in their late 20s. That will certainly be an interesting age to explore the dynamics between them all.

We assume the movie will reveal to us Aang, Zuko, and pals’ continued quest to bring peace to the four nations after the intense upheaval Fire Lord Ozai wreaked upon the world. A lot still needs fixed, after all. We hope this movie can continue the series’ legacy of delivering exactly the right story to its fans.

Additionally, we know that this movie is one of three animated Avatar movies that Nickelodeon’s Avatar Studios will create. Avatar Studios is “a newly formed division designed to create original content spanning animated series and movies based on the beloved world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.” We don’t know, however, if the movies will serve as sequels to one another or each will be a stand-alone.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie‘s Cast

We don’t have any word yet on who will voice our heroes in the movie, but we hope to see some of our original favorites reprise their roles. Dante Basco is Zuko, after all.

Recently, Toph’s original voice actress Michaela Jae Murphy, also knowns as Jessie Flower, noted she didn’t believe the original cast would return. However, there’s not yet an official confirmation of this statement. Hopefully, our original actors will have a role to play yet.

Behind the Scenes 

Lauren Montgomery will direct the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. Additionally, series co-creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino will produce the film alongside Eric Coleman.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie‘s Release Date

One thing we do know is when we can expect the new Avatar: The Last Airbender animated movie. The movie will release on October 10, 2025.

Originally published on May 2, 2023.

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2017 gave fans their first trip to Skull Island in the aptly titled Kong: Skull Island. The strange land introduced us to monsters of all varieties in a lush and mysterious jungle setting. Dangers? Oh of course there were dangers! But there was also the mighty titan Kong, there to protect his home and, eventually, the humans who arrived. Now viewers get to go back to the land that time forgot in the new Netflix animated series Skull Island from Powerhouse Animation, the folks behind Castlevania. Check out the first teaser.

The series, which will debut June 22, will take audiences to a whole new world of thrills and dangers. The story follows a group of kind-hearted explorers who rescue Annie (Mae Whitman) from the ocean, unaware that their act of heroism will lead them to the treacherous Skull Island. The rest of the star-studded cast includes: Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever, Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles) as Mike; Benjamin Bratt (Poker Face, Coco) as Cap; and Betty Gilpin (Mrs. Davis, Glow) as Irene. Together, they bring these vibrant characters to life and embark on a captivating journey.

The show’s poster art showcases not just Kong but many other giant monsters the crew will have to deal with. Everybody’s old pal the skull crawler is there, naturally; we also get giant lizards, birds, crabs, and what looks like a cute dog of some kind. Unclear. Either way, we can’t wait to check out Skull Island to see what adventures Kong and Co. get up to next.

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

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

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Clone High‘s last original episode debuted on March 2, 2003. For those of you born after that date, no, that’s not a typo. It’s been more than 20 years since the sex-crazed teenage clones of Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Mahatma Gandhi, JFK, and Cleopatra found themselves frozen in ice. Now the show’s creators (and members of the main cast) Phil Lord and Chris Miller are finally thawing them out at Max.

What are the challenges of reviving a comedy after two decades? How did they decide what historical figures would get in on the fun this time? And just how much of what we’ll see in this long-awaited second season was planned 20 years ago? We asked them about all that and more when we got a chance to speak to Lord and Miller about Clone High season two.

Nerdist: Obviously the world has changed a lot since you created Clone High. So while it holds up, I’m sure there are elements of the first season you loved then that you wouldn’t include now.

Phil Lord: Sure.

How does this revival maintain the original spirit and tone of the show fans have always loved while also appealing to an audience with different comedic sensibilities?

Lord: I feel like the show has always been strangely tenderhearted, even when it is comedically “going for it.” It’s got affection through all the characters, and I think that holds true now. There are things that I would want back (from the original). I would say, Chris, for me, number one, Mena Suvari’s forehead didn’t deserve a clap back. And there’s a long list, but-

Chris Miller: Yeah, there’s a long list of things. I don’t need to itemize them all. There are things I would take back today if given the opportunity, but we move forward often. But I also think there’s a lot of new stuff going on in the world. Just being able to have a show that can be silly and heartfelt at the same time, and try to skewer tropes and do twists on things, it’s still relevant as long as you’re just talking about the things that we’re thinking about today.

And I’m sure we’re crossing other lines that 20 years from now when we do the third one we’ll be like, “Oh, man, I wish we didn’t do that.”

Lord: Yeah, exactly.

We’re getting new historical figures like Harriet Tubman, Christopher Columbus, Frida Kahlo, and Confucius as main characters this time around. How did you determine which famous people to add to the mix?

Lord: We mostly focused on people that teenagers have heard of. But then, also, what would be good dilemmas for the characters to have?

[Showrunner] Erica [Rivinoja] focused on what would it be like to be Confucius and have to live up to this incredibly intelligent, insightful, clone father. How would that person try to parse himself into today? What if the pithy things he said were actually lame, but with a big heart? Likewise with Frida Kahlo. What if she was just unbelievably chill and knew how cool she was? I think we found really, really fun characters.

Miller: And it starts with a thought that’s funny, like, “Oh, it’s probably a bad time to be the clone of Christopher Columbus right now.” Then it evolves into a more three-dimensional character from that. “Oh, that would be tough. How would that person try and deal with it at this time?” And then trying to figure out how that person exists beyond that, it was part of the fun.

What other historical figures, at any point over the last 20 years, have you seriously considered for season two and why didn’t they make the cut?

Miller: (laughs) I mean, I remember we made some lists of people at one point, but this character set came from Erica. She developed these takes on these new characters and the writer’s room all worked together to figure out how they interacted with each other, what their relationships would be, what they really were beyond the quick pitch.

And, as needed, we would add to characters to stories. We’d be like, “Well, which historical figure could this be?” And then we’re like, “Oh, this could be Lady Godiva.” So you try to think about what the character needs are and then figure out, “Who would most interestingly or best represent that?”

How confident are you the revered historical figures—so not Columbus—who are now part of the cast won’t cause the same types of problems that Clone Gandhi did for you previously?

Miller: (they both laugh) Not confident at all.

Lord: You got to swing the bat.

Miller: Right.

Well, do you want to reveal anything? Is there any chance we ever see Clone Gandhi again?

Lord: Well, we’ve made a few nods to him during the season. And we did leave him frozen just in case there’s a season four. But yeah, for now we’re leaving him on ice.

How hard was that? Because he’s such a great character, obviously. And he’s such an important part of first season.

Miller: He did leave a-larger-than-his-size hole. Thankfully a bunch of the new characters could each pick up a different part of his personality. And it’s shaking up the dynamic as part of what these teen shows do. We’re going to throw some new things in there, and we’re always changing who’s dating who and who’s mad at who and trying to stir the pot a little bit. But obviously he was a lot of fun, but so are a lot of the characters.

The show is going to pick up where season one ended as everyone gets unfrozen. How much of what we’re going to see in season two is based on what you originally had planned for it 20 years ago?

Lord: Well, we did originally think they would wake up and not remember what had happened to them and slowly put it together. So in that sense the idea was that it would start the way the first season started. I think we held true to that.

Miller: That’s right. But mostly, we didn’t have a lot of specific plans for season two. We had a lot of kooky ideas, but it’s not like we had it all mapped out. “Here are the 10 episodes.” Or the 13 episodes. I don’t even know what would we do or how many episodes people make these days.

My last question, I think, is my most important. And not that you haven’t been honest, but I would like you both to be very honest. How much of this revival is simply an excuse for you guys to do the voices of Principal Scudworth, Mr. Butlertron, and JFK again?

Lord: (both laugh) The SAG Awards demand that we reprise these roles. I’ll say that it’s really fun to scream into a microphone.

Miller: It’s been really fun to revive those parts, to shake off the rust and just goof around. That’s really been one of the most fun parts of the whole thing.

I’m surprised you said shake off the rust. I had assumed you guys just do those voices all the time on your own anyway.

Lord: Only when we get in a fight.

Clone High returns with its second season May 23 at Max.

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

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The teenage clone of Joan of Arc spent Clone High‘s first season pining after the teenage clone of Abraham Lincoln. It was a tale as told as time. Kinda. But it’s one stars Nicole Sullivan and Will Forte have had to wait 20 years to resume. The cult classic animated MTV series is finding new life at Max.

Did the two ever expect to return to school? What was it like having their characters thawed out after such a long time? And what’s it like playing Joan and Abe now? Those are just some of the questions we asked Sullivan and Forte when we got a chance to speak to them ahead of Clone High‘s long-awaited second season.

Nerdist: Did you give up faith this revival was going to happen someday? Or did you always have hope it would?

Will Forte: I didn’t give up faith just because after it was canceled the first time I assumed it would never happen again. Then somewhere along the line, maybe a decade after it was canceled, I think I heard some kind of rumor they were going to try to bring it back. Or maybe even Chris [Miller] and Phil [Lord] said, “Oh, we should try to bring Clone High back.” So there was something in the air at some point that that was on their wish list.

I do remember having a very positive feeling. This was my first acting job. So it was a very special experience that I had back in the day. I was way more nervous than I probably should have been just because it was such a low-key job with friends. So it was very, very nice. When I heard it finally was actually going to happen, it was just exhilarating. I never knew it was even possible. That’s not something I thought. And this time around I was just so much more relaxed because I had 20 years of experience under my belt and it was just like this fun homecoming. A little reunion party with our buddies.

Nicole, you get the phone call this is really going to happen. What’s your reaction?

Nicole Sullivan: My reaction, honestly, was I always thought it would. When I was recording it, I didn’t quite get, I just didn’t get it exactly. I was like, “This is a young person show.”

And then I watched it when it came out and I was like, “Oh, this is genius.” Then I thought, “There’s no way. There’s no way they can’t revisit this.” And on my social media and stuff, people are always talking about Clone High. Always, always, always. I mean, you can’t assume anything, but then when [co-creator] Bill (Lawrence) gave me the call and was like, “I think we’re trying to do this. Don’t tell anyone.” I was like, “I’m there buddy.”

What people now think is funny is really different from when Clone High debuted. Did either of you have any concerns you could still make the show that fans love?

Forte: Well Chris and Phil, I mean, that whole team is so smart and so funny and they’re just good people, too. They have such a way of creating these shows that they can appeal to a mainstream audience, but still be delightfully weird. Most stuff that’s trying to appeal to a mainstream audience is pretty vanilla. They have a way of bringing people in with these weird concepts and they’re just so smart.

Sullivan: Right. I know them well, but I don’t pretend to know their inner workings. But exactly what Will said, they’ve got this ability to run on two different bandwidths, which is, “I’m a professional, let’s set up the shots.” And then the second bandwidth is, “What can we do to make this interesting?” They just live there. So when you’re working with them there’s no doubt that a) they’re going to get the thing they want done, and b) they’re going to make it crazier and more interesting than you ever thought.

Twenty years between seasons is a really long time to stay in character. What did you have to do to rediscover Abe and Joan?

Sullivan: Well, we mostly just would meet each other for lunch and not make out. That was what we did for 20 years.

Forte: [Laughs] Yeah, I mean, my Abraham Lincoln voice was just this. [Laughs] It’s basically been just saying whatever words are on the page with my natural speaking voice pretty much.

Sullivan: That’s my favorite thing is when people go like, “Oh my God, I love your show. My cousin, can we call him and you do the voice for my cousin on the phone?” I’m like, “Umm…I can do the voice, but it sounds a little something like thiiiiis.”

It’s sounds exactly like me, so it’s not like you’re calling The Simpsons characters. And that’s a different thing. We’re just using our voices.

But human voices do change, especially over 20 years. So did you have to do anything to try to recapture exactly how you sounded then or did you just go with the flow?

Sullivan: [Laughs] Should I have?

Forte: I feel like maybe in 15 more years it might have been an issue or start to get [changes voice to sound like an old man] that Grandpa Walton sound. But really, if anything, it was way easier this time around. At least for me. I was so in my head the first time I did this because I just felt like my voice was so boring. I wasn’t used to doing this kind of work.

Then you come back and you have a little more confidence, a little more experience, and I was able to have so much more fun this time around. Not to say that it wasn’t a blast back in the day. But I was just so filled with neuroses just because I had never really done it before. So getting to do this again at this stage of my life has just been a very pleasant experience.

Nicole, you’ve played some normal characters over the course of your career, but Will is the teenage clone of Abraham Lincoln the most normal character you’ve ever played in yours?

Forte: The most normal character? Certainly up there, yes. probably the guy I got to be in Nebraska. Yeah, him and Abe Lincoln in Clone High.

Sullivan: Character from Nebraska. I totally agree. [Note: This was also the only answer the Nerdist staff could come up with ahead of this interview.]

Forte: Or Alan Bishopman, E-Z Swords salesman in Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie. That’s my other very normal character.

Last question. I have a theory I would like to run by the both of you. My theory is that this revival has nothing to do with finishing the story or bringing back a cult classic. I think Phil Lord and Chris Miller simply wanted an excuse to do the voices of Scudworth, JFK, and Mr. Butlertron again. Am I 100% right or only 99% right?

Sullivan: Can I tell you, when I watch them and they’re both on camera and they’re doing the voices, they both make each other laugh so hard, still. They have to go off, they find it hilarious. And I think that’s the most endearing thing about them is that 20 years later they love what they’re doing.

Clone High season two finally debuts on May 23 at Max.

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

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The world’s greatest spy is finally going to say buh bye to the danger zone. But not because he’s sticking his cocktail between his legs out of fear. (We know: phrasing.) FX has announced Adam Reed’s long-running animated hit Archer will come to an end with its 14th season. The network also shared when Sterling and the rest of The Agency will officially start their final missions together. FXX will launch the beginning of the end of Archer in late summer.

Sterling himself might be very much the same, but the world has changed a lot since Archer debuted all the way back on FX in 2009. The show, starring H. Jon Benjamin as the inebriated world-class spy, even moved networks during its run. It picked up an extra “X” in 2017. That’s where the show will air its final season, when season 14 debuts with two episodes at FXX on August 30.

The network shared an early synopsis of what we can expect from Archer during its final run:

Archer and The Agency are finding their own way with Lana at the helm. Her goal is to make money while also making the world a better place, but she quickly finds out running a spy agency isn’t so cut and dry.

“Dry” has never described anyone or anything on Archer, so not sure why Lana expectedly differently.

While fans who still love the show (:raises hand:) will be disappointed by this news, the series has already run much longer than Reed previously said it would. At one point, the plan was to finish with season ten. But the end of Archer has never felt more inevitable since Jessica Walters passed away in 2021. Getting a 14th season is better than most of us could have ever expected for a long time.

Plus, this is good news. The show wasn’t canceled unexpectedly. Hopefully, the cast and crew knew it would be their last. And that will let Archer go out on its own terms. Hopefully, that means it comes out on top.

Yup, we know: phrasing. We’re still doing that and will long after Archer ends.

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Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s résumé includes some wildly popular films. That includes The LEGO Movie, 21 Jump Street, and, of course, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. But some think their greatest accomplishment was their first: the short-lived animated series Clone High, which they co-created with Scrubs‘ Bill Lawrence. The cult classic featured clones of historical figures as teenagers in high school. The series, which satirized fame, its characters, and high school coming-of-age series, was a sign of things to come for the pair. But the show never got its proper due. It only lasted for one brilliant, 13-episode season. Now that’s about to change. MTV and HBO Max are bringing back the team to “re-imagine” the series for a new generation.

Don’t worry, though. Teenage JFK, Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Gandhi are coming back with them. Here’s our first full look at the HBO Max reboot, the Clone High trailer.

Honestly, we are feeling the nostalgia. In 2020, it was announced that Lord, Miller, and Lawrence would return for an “updated version” of Clone High with all new episodes. Erica Rivinoja (South Park), a writer on the original series, serves as showrunner and will pen the pilot with Lord and Miller. And while the show will be a “re-imagining,” it will still follow the original show’s famous clones.

As the trailer reveals, the Clone High reboot series will pick up from where everyone left off: all literally frozen solid bricks of ice at a high school dance. And then there will be plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments to follow. The synopsis for the series shares more, noting:

A modern refresh of the hit series of the same name, Clone High follows a high school for clones of the greatest minds in history. Twenty years after the original experiment was put on ice, Joan, JFK, Abe, and Cleo have been thawed out to resume school with their new clone classmates – all while navigating a new set of cultural norms and overly dramatic teen relationships.

MTV

Clone High is the latest MTV animated series finding new life. They recently announced Jodie, a modern spin-off to Daria. And the network’s iconic idiot duo of Beavis and Butthead headed back to television with a new series at Comedy Central. New episodes will be amazing, so don’t tell them we’d be happy if they were just clones of the original.

Clone High releases on May 23.

Originally published June 2, 2020.

Featured Image: Max

The post Max CLONE HIGH Reboot Series Reveals Full Trailer and Release Date appeared first on Nerdist.

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

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

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

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

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Hold on to your cabbages Avatar fans, the first look at the new animated movie from Avatar Studios is here! Dan Casey climbs aboard his sky bison to break down all the latest from last week’s Cinemacon reveal and what it means for the return of Aang and the rest of the Last Airbender crew on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

What Happens AFTER Avatar: The Last Airbender? : https://youtu.be/06ClsYYJCWg

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Avatar: The Last Airbender ended its three-season run in 2008. Now over a decade later the franchise is thriving. The animated series, as well as The Legend of Korra (set in the same world), came to Netflix in 2020. Netflix is making a live-action Avatar series. We’re getting an Avatar roleplaying game. And we’re also getting three Avatar: The Last Airbender animated film. Can you imagine seeing the four nations on the big screen?

Recently, we learned that the first of these movies would focus on none other than everyone’s favorite Avatar, Aang, and also star the rest of Team Avatar. And additionally, we received some more exciting news at CinemaCon 2023. The first animated Avatar: The Last Airbender movie will release on October 10, 2025. That’s a long way off, but we’re patient. Additionally, Lauren Montgomery will direct the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. Series co-creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino will produce alongside Eric Coleman.

This will come as exciting news to fans who love the original group, also known affectionately as The Gaang. It sounds like the new animated Avatar movie will feature Aang, and, we assume, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Zuko as young adults. There’s certainly a lot to mine there. Perhaps the movie will even pick up right after the series ended.

The original Avatar: The Last Airbender series is one of the most beloved ever, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed that this movie only enhances that love.

And that isn’t all.

Nickelodeon

This animated films are part of a bigger program; Nickelodeon launched Avatar Studios. From their press release, Avatar Studios is “a newly formed division designed to create original content spanning animated series and movies based on the beloved world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.”

The series’ creators and executive producers Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko will helm this new studio as co-chief creative officers, which is fantastic news.

It seemingly took Nickelodeon a while to recognize the franchise’s popularity. I imagine seeing the response to Avatar and Korra on streaming in 2020 only helped pave the path to Avatar Studios. DiMartino and Konietzko will dive even deeper into Avatar’s mythology and provide content for Nickelodeon and Paramount+. We’re unsure of where this leaves Netflix’s live-action series. As of August 2020, DiMartino and Konietzko stepped away from that project. We assume it is still moving forward, but it feels a little weird considering this new division at Nickelodeon is focusing on all things Avatar all the time.

Aang’s world is about to expand beyond our imagining, and we can’t wait to see further exploration of it.

Originally Published on February 24, 2021.

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One of the casualties of David Zaslav’s draconian gutting of HBO Max has been upcoming DC animated series. Luckily, it seems, some of them have gotten reprieves from other networks. Bruce Timm’s highly anticipated return to Batman will head to Prime, for example. Another of these is My Adventures with Superman, a lighthearted take on Clark Kent’s first years in Metropolis getting to know Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. That show will now air on Adult Swim, and we have a first look teaser for it below.

The Boys star Jack Quaid provides the voice of Clark/Superman in this series. Funny that in real life he’d absolutely play Jimmy Olsen, but I digress. The animation style is evocative of the old Fleischer cartoons from the ’40s while still having a distinctive modern edge. Fans of the animation style of things like Voltron: Legendary Defender and The Legend of Korra will likely enjoy this.

My Adventures with Superman from creator Jake Wyatt will debut on Adult Swim “soon,” which can’t come soon enough as far as we’re concerned. The world needs a new Superman cartoon.

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

The post First Teaser for Adult Swim’s MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN Looks Very Old School appeared first on Nerdist.

Chris Meledandri is currently getting ready to put The Super Mario Bros. Movie into the world. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t already eyeing the next thing. The Illumination founder and CEO plans on hopping back into a beloved franchise for yet another installment. Which one? Shrek. Yes, you read that correctly. In an interview with Variety, Chris Meledandri hints that Shrek 5 will be coming our way with its original voice actors, including Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, and Cameron Diaz. Shrek must keep his Scottish accent at all costs.

Right now, Shrek 5 has no deals in place nor any actors signed on quite yet. It would be a stretch to say that the film is even in the early stages at this point. But, Meledandri is quite optimistic that the film will happen in the future. “We anticipate the cast coming back. Talks are starting now, and every indication that we’ve gotten is there’s tremendous enthusiasm on behalf of the actors to return,” he said. Meledandri noted that in addition to Shrek 5, he thought the character of Donkey could definitely support a movie spinoff .

Interesting indeed. In the era of consistent reboots, revivals, and requels, they might as well bring Donkey, Shrek, and Fiona back for another round.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender has no shortage of lovable characters. That said, none of the characters are cuter than Appa, Aang’s sky bison. (Our apologies to Momo). Appa is a loyal friend to Aang, Sokka, and Katara, often putting himself in danger to help them. Let’s not even discuss how much “Appa’s Lost Days” made us cry. But luckily we have happy Appa news to share today. John Marks made a life-size Appa. Life. Size. Appa. Look!

Marks told Nerdist he asked convention owners what attendees had been wanting more of, and Avatar: The Last Airbender came up several times. With the show’s dedicated, massive fanbase, it’s not surprising. When Marks saw the excitement, he knew he had to make Appa. Plus, he rightly pointed out, “He was so cute, how could I not?”

Appa is not a small creature. The life-size version looms above the ground and has a saddle where anyone can sit for photos. Marks shared that it took him around five months to complete the entire project. There’s Appa, a background, Momo, and more. The most challenging part of the build was making the frame to support the saddle since it had to be strong enough to support the weight of any riders, while also being hollow.

If you’re wondering: where, exactly, does one keep a life-size Appa? Well, Appa is going to be traveling from convention to convention this year. He’ll spend most of his time in a 24′ trailer. We love the idea of Appa taking an epic road trip, and who knows, maybe he’ll appear at a convention near you! If you want to see him, you can always let the convention know. In the meantime, you can follow Marks on TikTok to keep up with Appa.

The post Someone Built a Life-Size Appa from AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER appeared first on Nerdist.

The smartest person in the Marvel Universe is finally roller skating her way onto television. Lunella Lafayette, better known as Moon Girl, made her comic debut in 2015. And her story is action-packed and inspiring for fans of all ages. In the comics, she’s a 9-year-old inventor with a secret laboratory. She accidentally ends up with Devil Dinosaur, a T-rex from another dimension. They share a special mental link and become found family. The unlikely duo combine their brains and brawn to fight against some seriously evil foes. Of course, they run into Marvel faves like Bruce Banner, Ironheart, and more along the way. Now, that same energy is exploding onto our TV screens in a colorful, heartfelt, and downright delightful animated series. Prepare your hearts for Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. 

In the series, Lunella is aged up to 13-years-old; however, she’s still a Lower East Side girl who loves skates and science. She uses the latter, along with nifty gadgets, to thwart enemies all while caring for her new dino friend. This hero dons her heart on her sleeve and expresses moments of vulnerability and fear. We cannot relate to being a genius hero, but we all understand those feelings. And, thankfully, her bright and futuristic costume is still largely the same. One thing that has changed (for the better) is her support system. While we meet Lunella’s parents in the comics, we don’t know much about her extended family. And, Lunella is an outcast at school who doesn’t have any friends… that is, until she meets Devil Dinosaur.

However, in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Lunella lives with extended family, a common practice in Black (and other non-white) communities. It’s an aspect of the series that made actor Gary Anthony Williams, who portrays Lunella’s grandfather Pops, want to join this project. He grew up living close to extended family and appreciated Lunella’s home dynamics, particularly how she has multiple people to lean on during difficult years of her life.  “I was always around my grandmother,” he tells Nerdist. “It wasn’t just once every, ‘Oh, it’s Thanksgiving, let’s go see grandma.’ No, every week we saw grandma. We watched TV with her, we hung around her, I went fishing with her… so that’s what drew me [into this show], the joy of being a part of a family, being a part of a community, and the type of family where everyone’s together.” 

Libe Barer, who portrays Lunella’s bestie and human sidekick Casey, echoes this sentiment of family. In many ways, friends are found family, and that’s what happens with Lunella and Casey in the series. Barer fell in love with her character’s dialogue and personality, both of which are vastly different from Lunella. But, she really knew she’d made the right choice to join this world because of her real-life camaraderie Diamond White, the actress behind our adorable titular hero. COVID kept the duo apart but not even distance (and a pandemic) could stop their natural chemistry.

“We recorded in separate booths and [the producers] encouraged us to improv,” she revealed to us. “They were like, ‘Let it be messy and weird.’ …And that, a lot of that made it into the cut. We recorded a lot of the first season in the depths of the lockdown. So I was in my closet in New York while Diamond was in hers in LA but we were Zooming together and reading together, which was such a gift.” 

That certainly shines through Lunella and Casey’s connection onscreen. Their bond is an affirmation that 1) girls, especially those from marginalized communities, need each other and 2) every superhero needs a safe space to be normal.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’s themes of friendship, family, discovery, and science all come together in its upbeat and decidedly bright packaging. The show’s creator Laurence Fishburne (you may have heard of him) and his fellow executive producer Steve Loter worked together to combine their childhood loves and art inspirations to craft something wholly unique. “When we met, we really had a similar kind of idea and vision and vibe about what it should be,” said Fishburne. “[Steve] started describing what the animation style could possibly be like, drawing from several different influences. And we talked about the comic books that we loved and growing up in New York.”

Loter further details their templates for Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, adding, “Instead of pulling one influence like, ‘Oh, yeah, we love Andy Warhol’s silk screening from New York City. We love Basquiat, we love graffiti art, we love [Jack] Kirby in Marvel Comics and the Kirby Krackle that he would put in his comic panels,’ we said, ‘Let’s put them all together. Let’s see what they look like all combined into one.’ …And it worked because New York has that kind of energy. It’s not one single thing, it’s a hundred things at once.”

The city is indeed a character in the series, providing a setting full of dualities. We witness the camaraderie of Lunella’s community and her fierce desire to protect it. But who (or what) is she fighting against? Well, we will meet a variety of foes in this series. But there’s one in particular who will give the young genius major woes: The Beyonder. Fishburne voices the character and hints at what’s to come with this villain. “He is interdimensional,” says Fishburne. “He is a traditional trickster, thematically. And he pops in and out from somewhere beyond the galaxy to learn about humans from Lunella and to test her. He’s kind of a weird kind of thorn in her side. His powers match her intellect.”

Thankfully, Lunella is not facing this trickster alone. With her friend Casey, her family, a massive red dino, and her keen intelligence, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur can take on anything. It’s time for Moon Girl Magic to shine.

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Get ready for Moon Girl Magic to hit your screens. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are running (and skating) onto your TV screens on February 10 with a hero story unlike any other. Imagine the smartest 13-year-old girl you know and make her a zillion times smarter with the ability to concoct futuristic gadgets. Then give that girl genius a secret lab underneath her NYC abode where she opens a portal and lets a dinosaur in from another dimension. They become pals and decide to fight for an area of NYC that the Avengers seem to ignore.

That’s what you get with Lunella Lafayette, the protagonist of this special Marvel story. Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is all about found family, unique friendships, and, yes, a large red dinosaur with a heart of gold. Nerdist chatted with Diamond White and Fred Tatasciore—who portray Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, respectively—about their characters’ best traits and the show’s endearing charm. 

Nerdist: There are so many superheroes and superheroines out right now that it’s almost overwhelming. What do you think Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur brings to this landscape that’s truly unique? 

Diamond White: It’s Marvel’s first African-American teenage girl superhero in her own series. So just that alone… she’s making history with this show. I never saw a show like this growing up. So the representation matters a lot to me. And it brings this sense of friendship, community, and love. It’s just a really good show. 

Fred Tatasciore: I agree! I think that’s great for kids to see that a girl like [Lunella] can make a difference and that science is cool. You can be powerful and smart is good. I’m really excited to see a woman of color at the center of this. I play a force of nature that comes in and doesn’t have a community. I come from a very scary dimension. And I am somehow welcomed into this new portal of New York.

And a very brilliant being decides to take me in and learn my language and become my family, become my friend… That’s where [Devil Dinosaur] comes in… The takeaway that I hope people see is a very powerful force of nature, a dinosaur, be able to have a heart and make good decisions and side with the good, not just be something frightening. That’s the choice he makes and that’s a big thing for him.

I love that. And I definitely think the show expands both characters in a completely different way from the comic series. What are some of your characters’ trailers that really shine in this story? 

White: I think it’s Moon Girl’s confidence because Lunella doesn’t always have confidence all the time. Lunella is insecure about a couple things… [but] her mom tells her that one girl can make a difference. I think that’s going to stand out. And even in the beginning, when she’s not so sure how to go about the superhero thing, she keeps going and she keeps trying.

Tatasciore: Devil Dinosaur is into art and music… He’s driven by his appetite for hot dogs, but he’s driven by his love for Lunella and Casey even more… I think there’s some humor in his journey of learning not to be so possessive and jealous of Lunella or Moon Girl. 

Aww, that’s so sweet. If you could use three words to sum up Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, which ones would you choose. 

White: Moon. Girl. Magic.

Tatasciore: Electric, love, and family.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur will hit the Disney Channel on February 10 and Disney+ on February 15.

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You thought going back to the basement of That ’70s Show with That ’90s Show was a nostalgic trip down memory lane? Well, hold onto your beer cans because you’re about to be standing in front of a fence with some pals. A King of the Hill revival is officially heading to Hulu, and it’s bringing the whole gang back together.

Co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels are returning for this King of the Hill reunion. Mike Judge recently had a successful time reviving yet another adult-animated dark-comedy favorite, Beavis and Butt-Head. In Hulu’s King of the Hill Revival, Judge will reprise his role as that bumbling patriarch Hank Hill. Kathy Najimy returns as Peggy. It really is giving us Red and Kitty goosebumps all over again. In addition, Deadline reports, we’ll see the return of “Stephen Root as Bill, Pamela Adlon as Bobby Hill, Johnny Hardwick as Dale, and Lauren Tom as Minh.” It wouldn’t be King of the Hill without them.

This revival has been long-anticipated and in the works since 2017. The original show ran from 1997 to 2010 and had nearly 300 episodes. It zeroed in on one family in Texas as they navigated the perils of ordinary life, growing up, and evolving. We’ll feel interested to see how the series designs itself for modernity. The original episodes of King of the Hill, can, of course, be streamed on Hulu.

Craig Erwich, president of ABC Entertainment, Hulu, and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals, notes, “We are all so excited to welcome back Hank, Peggy and Bobby, and to see what they have to say about the world we live in and continue the conversations we began years ago. This show has all of the perfect ingredients to meet this moment in animation at Hulu, and we’re so thankful to be having those conversations alongside this talented group.”

Welcome back propane and propane accessories to your life. We can’t wait to see what this King of the Hill revival has in store.

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Roll for initiative! The Legend of Vox Machina returns to adventure on our screens with episodes 4 through 6 of season 2. After the startling dangers and traps of last week, Vox Machina must pick up the pieces as they face new challenges and fight new foes. Kyle breaks down all the hidden details and references that you might have missed on today’s Nerdist News!

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The Legend of Vox Machina, based on Critical Role‘s first campaign, recently premiered its second season on Prime Video. The animated series already has season three in the works, too. And soon, more Critical Role content will join it. Amazon Studios announced today that it has entered a multiyear exclusive overall television and first-look film deal with Critical Role. The first project under this agreement is Mighty Nein. The animated series will adapt Critical Role‘s wildly popular second campaign.

Mighty Nein features the Critical Role cast as a new group of adventurers. According to Amazon, it follows: “a group of criminals and misfits who are the only ones that can prevent the kingdom from plunging into chaos when an arcane artifact capable of reshaping reality falls into the wrong hands.”

In the campaign, the cast was as follows:

• Laura Bailey – Jester Lavorre
• Taliesin Jaffe – Mollymauk “Molly” Tealeaf
• Ashley Johnson – Yasha Nydoorin
• Liam O’Brien – Caleb Widogast
• Marisha Ray – Beauregard “Beau” Lionett
• Travis Willingham – Fjord
• Sam Riegel – Nott the Brave and Veth Brenatto

They’ll begin production soon and Mighty Nein will premiere on Prime Video. Executive producers include Tasha Huo, Sam Riegel, and Travis Willingham alongside Metapigeon and Amazon Studios. Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio, and Ben Kalina at Titmouse will also executive produce.

As for the overall deal, it will see Critical Role develop original TV series, films, and content. Their production company, Metapigeon, will also work with creatives on new projects in and outside of the Critical Role universe, too.

Travis Willingham, co-founder and CEO of Critical Role said in a statement.

Critical Role‘s livestream campaigns are the spark that lit the flame for our worldwide audience. Seeing the stories and characters from our first campaign come to life in The Legend of Vox Machina was a dream realized, and we are absolutely buzzing with excitement to do it again with Mighty Nein. But with today’s announcement, we’re confident that the stories we tell will keep expanding into realms of entertainment beyond what we can even imagine.

Until we get Mighty Nein, catch new episodes of The Legend of Vox Machina on Fridays on Prime Video.

Amy Ratcliffe is the Editor-in-Chief for Nerdist and the author of Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy, The Art of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, The Jedi Mind, and more. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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It’s been a big moment for Velma Dinkley. First, the Scooby-Doo icon finally got to come out as queer. We’ve all known that Velma is queer for a long time, but to see it with our own eyes was incredible. Second, we finally got to see the trailer for Velma’s new animated show, the one where she’s the star. And honestly, we are in love with this take on Scooby-Doo already. Not to mention, it’s exciting to see a whole new Scooby Gang in this Velma trailer.

The Velma trailer brings us into a whole new world of murder, mystery-solving, and fake ghosts. Only this time, there’s a bit more high-school drama involved. Jinkies, not frenemies! The official synopsis tells us more about the show. It reads:

VELMA is an adult animated comedy series telling the origin story of Velma Dinkley, the unsung and under appreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers.

You can also enjoy the teaser trailer for Velma below.

This hilarious Velma teaser is one big parody, and it mocks every complaint sure to be levied against the show. Skillfully, this hilarious teaser trailer lets Velma’s possible naysayers know the show is one step ahead. We love this bit of meta. And we absolutely adore Velma referencing Scream.

The cast of Velma includes Constance Wu as Daphne, Sam Richardson as Shaggy, and Glenn Howerton as Fred, and, of course, Mindy Kaling, the show’s executive producer, as Velma. Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, and “Weird Al” Yankovic also star, among others. No other roles have been announced.

Classic IPs like Scooby-Doo never truly go away, and the more they embrace their inherent silliness in the many ensuing years make them last much longer. For more than 50 years, a scared dog, a stoner, and three other people, have taken our screens through adventures both funny and frightening. Now Velma—the smartest one of the bunch, obviously—gets her time to shine.

Velma will premiere on HBO Max on January 12, 2023.

Originally published on October 6, 2022.

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What a time to be alive. On Thursday, Studio Ghibli teased a partnership with Lucasfilm on Twitter. With a few seconds of video, they put fandom on high alert. Studio Ghibli and Star Wars? It’s a match made in heaven. The renowned animation studio didn’t share any details about the project, but on Friday, it pulled back the curtain a little more with a precious photo. The image showed a figurine of Grogu, a.k.a. Baby Yoda, in the foreground with none other than Hayao Miyazaki softly blurred in the background. Then we learned the full name of the short and that it premieres on November 12. Yes, you can officially stream this surprise short.

The original short is called “Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies.” It’s a hand-drawn, animated story. The premiere date coincides with the third anniversary of the debut of The Mandalorian. Katsuya Kondo directs the short, which features music by Ludwig Göransson. Though Kondo is a long-time Ghibli animator, it’s his first time directing. You can see the positively adorable poster for the short below.

Previous to learning about the short, we speculated that Studio Ghibli’s Star Wars project would be part of season two of Star Wars: Visions. That anthology animated series would be well suited for Ghibli. And we’re not counting that or any additional Star Wars and Ghibli collaborations out.

“Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies” premiered on Disney+ on November 12. You can stream Ghibli’s Grogu creation now.

Originally published November 11, 2022 at 9:30 a.m.

Amy Ratcliffe is the Editor-in-Chief for Nerdist and the author of Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy, The Art of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, The Jedi Mind, and more. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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The story of a puppeteer who crafts a wooden boy named Pinocchio is a classic tale. We grew up watching it and love the story between Geppetto and his real son. And who can forget Jiminy Cricket being a funny heartbeat in the Disney animated film? However, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is putting his trademark spin on the tale, which is quite evident in the film’s new trailer. It brings together magic, wonder, heartbreak, and a tinge of darkness for something truly unique. 

We first hear from that talking cricket himself in this Pinocchio trailer. Jiminy Cricket looks a lot scarier than he did before. But rest assured, he’s simply a good-hearted cricket who wants to tell us a new version of this story. Throughout the clip, we see Pinocchio come to a heartbreaking realization. He’s being treated terribly by the people around him, who dismiss him as a puppet and not real.

We watch him build a father-son relationship until he acknowledges that he’s causing discord. Technically it is the terrible townspeople (we know that lot well) that are stirring up drama because they won’t mind their business. Sadly, the wooden boy with the borrowed soul leaves home, and the Pinocchio trailer takes quite the whimsical turn. He goes beyond a world that we can imagine, learning new things about himself. There are some truly quotable lines and it is an aesthetic delight. It is quite the year for stop-motion animation with this film following on the heels of Henry Selick’s incredible Wendell & Wild. And we cannot wait to see the spin that del Toro puts on Pinocchio’s adventurous life. 

The Pinocchio trailer is just enough to hold us over for another month. That’s right, the film will make its grand debut on Netflix on December 9. And it will also head to select theaters for people to enjoy during the holiday season. We can never get enough of this very real—and wonderfully magical—real boy.

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They say it’s never too late to make amends or say you’re sorry. And Cartoon Network clearly agrees. This year the company has apologized to an entire generation of fans for something it did way back in 1999. What could be so egregious that nearly 23 years later Cartoon Network would still feel bad? It apologized to ’90s kids for an old Scooby-Doo/Blair-Witch parody. And to show how sorry they are they re-released the special.

Cartoon Network wants traumatized children of the ’90s to know it’s sorry–=or at least “sorry”—for a hilarious The Blair Witch special that aired way back on October 31, 1999. The Scooby-Doo Project turned that summer’s surprise blockbuster horror film into a hybrid live-action/animated nightmare for kids tuning in for a Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! marathon.

The idea for the crossover was (obviously) fantastic. As was the execution. The short captures all the fun we’d expect from the gang, as well as the creepy vibe of the film. And it was all done with a clear abundance of love for both.

The only “issue” is that it wasn’t really aimed at young kids who tuned in for an entertaining cartoon. Because no matter how much we love this now, imagine what this was like for any child under 10. It would have been genuinely unsettling. How could it not be when it ends with the apparent murders of all the teenagers and Scooby-Doo himself? Zoinks. Zoinks, indeed.

We’re forever grateful to the writing and directing trio of Chris Kelly, Larry Morris, Steve Patrick for giving us this perfect mashup. But for any traumatized ’90s kids we’re glad they got their apology.

Of course, Cartoon Network owes us one more after 23 years: where’s the sequel? We’re not exactly kids anymore. We can handle it.

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You might think stop-motion LEGO food ASMR videos would have a narrow target audience, but apparently not. The video below of a massive LEGO tuna already has nearly a million views. Other videos on the I like home YouTube channel have millions as well. The fish market make-believe covers the whole preparation process, starting with the tuna on ice. Who knew that de-scaling a LEGO fish could be so fascinating to watch, and listen to?

The ASMR component includes realistic sounds from start to finish. That comes with both positive and negative moments, depending on your preferences. The noise of descaling a fish is particularly satisfying. Well, it’s that or perhaps it’s actually the sound of scraping clear 1×1 bricks off a LEGO build. But the rest of the video has a wet squelchy-ness that may make a few people hit mute. Just make sure you turn the sound back on for the end. That seems to include the real sound of someone chewing on LEGO bricks.

The three minute video is actually 2,273 pictures masterfully put together as stop-motion animation. As for the LEGO tuna itself, it’s more than five and a half feet long. We imagine it must have taken many hours to assemble thousands of bricks.

After sitting down to a well-earned break with the sashimi (with LEGO wasabi and soy sauce, of course), the builder packages the rest. In actuality, this set is like something in real life. The Dongwon gift set is a coveted (and expensive) package of fresh tuna steaks and sashimi from the South Korean company known for canned tuna.

The I like home YouTube channel hosts a whole series of LEGO food and cooking videos, including a similar one of the preparation of a salmon. They also feature some less fishy treats like wine, cakes, and a chocolate fountain.  

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

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Henry Selick’s Wendell & Wild brings the enduring artform of stop-motion animation to Netflix. The film’s story follows Kat, a teenager who becomes a Hell Maiden for two not-so-terrible demons. She’s a punk rock Black girl who needs to face her past. Wendell & Wild is a highly-anticipated film for many reasons besides the power of Selick’s name in the animation space. Majority of the main characters are Black, Latinx, and Asian with a stellar voice cast including Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, Lyric Ross, Angela Bassett, and Ving Rhames, among others. Peele also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Selick and is an executive producer. And, the film’s glorious soundtrack is one for the ages with a host of Black punk musicians. It seemed destined to be a delight and, reader, it indeed holds up to many of those great expectations. 

While the film may be called Wendell & Wild, this is undoubtedly Kat Elliot’s (Lyric Ross) journey of acceptance, forgiveness, and empowerment. Her life has been a series of unfortunate events since early childhood. She witnessed her parents’ deaths, which led to a downward spiral towards a moment of justified anger that lands her into legal trouble. She returns to her hometown of Rust Bank to discover that it is, like her, no longer a spark of joy.

As her story unfolds, we find that underneath her steel exterior (complete with some killer style choices) she’s been going through some serious PTSD. And, like any teen girl, she just wants her parents back and for life to be happy again. Kat inadvertently finds herself in the crosshairs of Wendell and Wild, voiced by Key and Peele respectively. The scheming brothers want to use their new Hell Maiden to summon them to the Land of the Living.

They are tired of the Underworld and hope to start their “Dream Faire” and get rich. Of course, they play on Kat’s desire for fulfilling happiness. But as she learns more about nefarious plans for Rust Bank and puts a mirror to her past, she finds her way towards forgiving herself and accessing her inner power. It’s a lovely character arc for someone that viewers will want to root for… and put into a protective bubble. There’s a bit of Kat in all of us. whether we are constantly blaming ourselves for past things that were beyond our control or putting up barriers around ourselves in hopes that others won’t see us. 

Thematically, there is a lot of focus on the coexistence of beauty and pain. The manifestation of emotional trauma through physical forms and true evil appear in alternate forms. How putting a figurative Band-Aid on our woes or shortcutting our way towards healing ultimately doesn’t work on our behalf. We have pull it back, put our eyes on those festering, ugly scars, face truths, and feel them because there’s beauty in healing. The concept of embracing our shadows, whether their source is internal or exterior, to find wholeness is a truly beautiful message in the midst of this odd world. The town of Rust Bank is itself a character, battered by trauma and pain yet showing glimmers of gorgeous potential.

Wendell & Wild does have a lot to say about several relevant social woes. And boy does it push to make all of that commentary connect. While some of it seamlessly weaves into the story, others suggest that there’s way to much to properly chew. Its runtime is not particularly long at 105 minutes; however, those extraneous subplots and filler characters take up space from those we care about the most.

This includes Wendell and Wild themselves. Of course, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele are delightful as two bumbling demons with zero dollars and a big dream. But it would have been lovely to see more of the vision for that faire seeded throughout the story. Nevertheless, it is so easy to get caught up in its spooky, almost dreamlike settings. You’ll wonder about things unseen and what is next for Kat, Raoul, and this special town of people. 

The abundance of ideas aside, Wendell & Wild proves that Selick is still undoubtedly the king of stop-motion. He staunchly leans into the artform’s classic imperfectness over today’s offerings that often sacrifice storytelling and worldbuilding in favor of visuals. The film takes the dark yet wacky aesthetic appeal from Selick’s Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas and expands it. The music, especially the inclusion of X-Ray Spex, and how it mirrors Kat’s ongoing journey is an all-around win.

Wendell & Wild ⭐ (4 of 5)

Heartbreaking, odd, uplifting, and wonderfully whimsical, Wendell & Wild will find a special place in stop-motion lovers’ hearts. The film will hit Netflix on October 28.

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Wendell & Wild is at the top of many fans’ spooky season watch lists, especially those who love stop-motion animation. It is pretty much guaranteed to be a win for Netflix when it hits the service on October 28. Why? How can it go wrong when you have Henry Selick, Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, Lyric Ross, and Angela Bassett on the same project?! Nerdist has gotten some in-depth looks at the film’s set, along with some great interviews and a teaser. But this Wendell & Wild trailer really adds to the overall excitement for this film’s arrival. 

Kat is having some serious nightmares… and she’s apparently a Hell Maiden. Wendell and Wild, a.k.a. the “Magician Morticians,” certainly think that she’s the key to their mission. But Kat is not one who takes commands easily. She’s a rebel in every sense of the word, from switching up her school uniform to her freaky boombox. Wendell & Wild warns us towards the end of the trailer to prepare ourselves for some wild things like nuns, demons, kids, and even a goat. We love to see a goat in the mix. 
A major part of Kat’s journey is music, specifically punk rock.

And this Wendell & Wild trailer brings the goods this time in a slightly different way. The song is by Doechii, a rapper signed to TDE, which is the home of Kendrick Lamar and SZA. “I Told ‘Em” fits in perfectly with the vibe and also is a dream come true for the artist. “I’ve been a big fan of Jordan Peele and Henry Selick for a long time so being able to help provide music to this trailer was awesome,” said Doechii. “I love anything that shows alternative representation of people like me in weird, quirky ways. Happy Halloween!” 

Seriously, how soon can we get this entire soundtrack? Kat says bad things happen to those who get close to her in the Wendell & Wild trailer, so we will find out who makes it out of this wacky and creepy adventure alive. Or undead. Whatever fits.

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Thirty years ago, the world of Super Mario Bros. came to the big screen, in a big budget live-action film. And, sadly, it didn’t go so well with the critics or the box office. It’s taken a while to bring the classic Nintendo game back to the big screen, but it’s finally coming as an animated film. Chris Pratt leads the all-star cast, voicing Mario. And we finally have the first teaser trailer for the Super Mario Bros. animated movie, along with the a new teaser poster for the upcoming film. Nintendo debuted the first look at the film at New York Comic Con and online. Watch the Super Mario Bros. trailer:

Here’s the official synopsis for the Super Mario Bros. animated film:

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (collaborators on Teen Titans Go!, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel (The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, Minions: The Rise of Gru), the film stars Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.

All of these talented folks have contributed to some truly great animated films over the past few years, so here’s hoping they can bring that same magic to this iconic universe. Ever since 1985, the Super Mario Bros. game franchise has maintained its status a staple of pop culture. It’s high time it came back to movie screens the right way. We imagine many elements introduced in the film will find themselves working their way into the Super Mario World lands at the Universal Studios theme parks in the near future.

Super Mario Bros. hits movie theaters on April 7, 2023, in North America.

Featured Image: Illumination

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For over five decades, LGBTQ fans have speculated that Velma Dinkley from the Scooby-Doo franchise was gay. Obviously, during the 1970s and ’80s, there was no way Hanna-Barbera was outing one of their main characters on a Saturday morning cartoon. But entering the modern era, many Scooby-Doo creators tried to bring Velma out of the closet, only to find themselves blocked in doing so.

Well, according to a report from Variety, Velma is finally officially coming out as a lesbian. This happens in the new animated movie Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! We can all say a collective happy “Jinkies!” now. You can watch the clip in question right here:

The clip above has gone viral, confirming at last what everyone knew since 1969. In the clip, Velma gets love-struck upon seeing female costume designer Coco Diablo. (Which, we must say, is a fabulous name for a character). This is not the first time creators have tried to officially say Velma is a lesbian. James Gunn, who wrote the original Scooby-Doo live-action movies in the early 2000s, has publicly stated he wanted to make Velma a queer character. But the studio thwarted all attempts. Gunn said she was openly gay in his first script. Then, they toned it down to “ambiguously gay.” Finally, all references to her sexuality were dropped.

Similarly, Tony Cervone, who was a supervising producer on the Mystery Incorporated series, has confirmed that Velma was gay in a post on social media. But like with Gunn, all actual declarations of said queer status had to be offscreen. Finally, it seems someone realized it was 2022, and characters we all know to be queer can finally say it out loud. The usual people who are going to be mad about it will scream and yell, and move on to another outrage. In the meantime, the rest of us can celebrate our new (ok, maybe not so new) queer icon.

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! is available now to rent or purchase on digital and DVD.

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If you’re looking for a fun cartoon the whole family can watch, well, Big Mouth ain’t f***ing it. The Netflix animated series is definitely for an adult audience only. And even then, it’s not for all adults. It’s probably not right for those with sensitive dispositions. But just because the show isn’t for everyone doesn’t mean it’s can’t be about something we can all relate to. And that will be the case in season six of Big Mouth. The new trailer for Big Mouth season six shows, no matter how foul-mouthed or inappropriate someone might be, they still have a family.

“Families are like a**holes. Everybody’s got one, and they’re all beautiful.”

Now that’s a tagline! Especially for Big Mouth, which is going all in on the many problems that arise because of our family. It’s not all intrusions and embarrassment, though. This Big Mouth trailer is also overflowing with love. Well, love and vulgarities we’re not sure we can legally describe.

As always, the Netflix animated series will also be full of famous voices. The returning cast for Big Mouth season six includes: Ali Wong, Andrew Rannells, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Chelsea Peretti, Chloe Fineman, Gary Cole, Gina Rodriguez, Jessica Chaffin, Jenny Slate, Jon Daly, Julie White, June Diane Raphael, Kristen Schaal, Mark Duplass, Natasha Lyonne, Nathan Fillion, Paul Scheer, Paula Pell, Richard Kind, Rosa Salazar, Seth Morris, and Thandiwe Newton.

Season six of Big Mouth will also feature even more big names. This year’s guest lineup includes: Adam Levine, Annaleigh Ashford, Amber Ruffin, Brian Tyree Henry, Chris O’Dowd (as Flanny O’Lympic from Human Resources), Cole Escola, Ed Helms, Ira Glass, Jeff Goldblum, Matt Rogers, Peter Capaldi, Steve-O, and Tyler The Creator.

Now that’s a f***ing cast!

Even better, though, is that you won’t have to wait much longer to hear them. Big Mouth‘s ten-episode sixth season comes to Netflix on October 28. Just, you know, make sure any kids or sensitive adults are asleep before you put it on. This cartoon is not for everyone.

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