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Apple says the bug was used to attack "specific targeted individuals" running iOS 26, which the majority of Apple customers are still using.

Fireflies said that it won't charge extra for the new dictation feature, which can be used with any desktop app.

The company also detailed how some of those breaches had happened, and outlined additional measures it is taking to assess the impact of the events.

The round builds on a $30 million fundraise in February, taking the company's total funding to $140 million.

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Atomic's agentic supply chain software is now being used by companies like DoorDash and HelloFresh.

In its prospectus, Anthropic just told investors it's losing tens of billions of dollars a year, but also growing like crazy, and — oh yeah — its own AI might pose an existential risk to humanity.

Thirteen of the 18 startups in Peak XV’s latest Surge cohort are targeting global markets, while more than half are based in India.

Quick Take

• The upcoming Disney+ series VisionQuest looks to bring Marvel’s first superhero, the Human Torch, to the MCU, fifteen years after a Captain America: The First Avenger Easter egg.
• The synthetic hero appeared in 1939’s Marvel Comics #1, along with Namor the Sub-Mariner. As an android, he retains a strong connection to Ultron and the Vision.
• Nerdist’s take: It may just be a flashback or a cameo, but the Torch’s appearance confirms there were other extraordinary people in Captain America’s original World War II era.

Marvel Studios loves its Easter eggs and post-credits scenes. Some of those paid off spectacularly, like Thanos in the original Avengers. Others, like everything teased in Eternals, are still waiting on a shelf five years later. But other times, they play the long game. Such as how Marvel teased the Leader in The Incredible Hulk in 2008, only for him to finally arrive in 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World. And now, on the upcoming VisionQuest series, it looks like Marvel may finally be paying off another ancient Easter egg, and introducing Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch, who first appeared (sort of) in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

A Human Torch Easter Egg Appeared at the Stark Expo in Captain America: The First Avenger Marvel Studios

In the early scenes of Captain America: The First Avenger, we see pre-Cap Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and his best friend Bucky (Sebastian Stan) go to the Stark Expo in 1942. This is shortly before Bucky ships off to war. Among the futuristic tech Howard Stark was showing off at his expo, we see a glass tube with a blonde man in a red costume. Above the tube, it reads “Dr. Phineas Horton Presents: The Synthetic Man.” This is the Human Torch, Marvel Comics’ first superhero. Created by Carl Burgos, he first appeared in Marvel Comics #1 in 1939, along with Namor the Sub-Mariner. It’s just a fun Easter egg for comic book fans, but it confirmed that the WWII-era hero existed in the MCU. Then, for 15 years, we heard nothing.

The Human Torch’s Comic Book Origins Go Back to 1939 Marvel Comics

In the comics, Dr. Phineas Horton was a brilliant scientist working out of Brooklyn. He learned under Victor Timely, who Loki fans might remember as the time-traveler He Who Remains/Kang. His artificial man contained everything a human possessed, using synthetic cells cultivated in a lab to recreate internal organs, blood, everything. So he was technically an android, but more in the Blade Runner sense, rather than an android in the Data from Star Trek sense.

Marvel Comics

However, when Horton revealed his synthetic man to the world, he came with a unique quirk. His entire skin lit on first upon contact with oxygen. At first branded a freak, he eventually got his flame powers under control and became a superhero. He took on the name Jim Hammond, and became an NYC police detective. And as the heroic Human Torch, he fought Namor in the very first Marvel character crossover. He received his own Human Torch series, along with a kid partner named Toro. He fought the Nazis in World War II alongside Captain America and Namor. In fact, Marvel eventually revealed that it was the Human Torch who killed Hitler in his bunker, burning him to death! (High five, Jim.)

The Human Torch Becomes The Vision (Or Does He?) Marvel Comics

As the 1940s wrapped up, superheroes lost their popularity. The Human Torch, who headlined his own series, was shelved and mostly forgotten about for years. When Marvel launched The Fantastic Four in 1961, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby gave Johnny Storm the Human Torch name and powers. But eventually, Marvel remembered the original Torch that launched a publishing line. After a brief reintroduction in 1966, Marvel explained that the evil AI Ultron used Torch’s body to construct the android Avenger, the Vision. Torch’s mind and memory were wiped, and the Vision was a different entity using Hammond’s body.

Marvel Comics

But eventually, in the 1980s, that retcon itself became retconned. Marvel revealed that Ultron constructed Vision from the spare parts of the Human Torch, and was a distinct and separate being. That allowed the original Human Torch to return to the Marvel Universe, where he became an Avenger. And he’s more or less stuck around ever since. Even if his popularity as the Human Torch has long been eclipsed by Johnny Storm. But as Marvel Comics’ first superhero, he retains significant importance to the Marvel universe overall.

The Human Torch Will Finally Appear in VisionQuest on Disney+

Although not officially confirmed, it seems obvious now that the Human Torch will appear in VisionQuest. At a booth at D23, Marvel showed production art of a man standing in a room lit on fire. And he doesn’t seem to be contorting in pain. Then, the trailer for VisionQuest briefly showed a man igniting, further confirming that we’re about to see that Human Torch Easter egg from The First Avenger pay off at last. Good things come to those who wait, as the saying goes.

Nerdist Nerdist’s Take: The Original Human Torch Confirms Cap Was Not the Only Enhanced Person Operating During WWII in the MCU

Certainly, some things will be different in the MCU. It’s clear from Age of Ultron that Vision was not made using Hammond’s inert body. But clearly, whatever Dr. Horton created back in 1942 inspired Ultron, and worked as a blueprint for Vision. Maybe we only see the Torch in flashbacks, or maybe his programming exists inside Vision’s mind. So far, we have no idea who Marvel has cast as the Human Torch, so it’s possible it’s a name actor. Did this version of the Torch work alongside Captain America in WWII, as he did in the comics? We’re excited to find out. And we’re glad Marvel’s first superhero has finally arrived in the MCU at last.

VisionQuest premieres on Disney+ on October 14.

Eric Diaz is a staff writer at Nerdist and a Swiss Army knife of fandoms. Eric loves DC, Marvel, horror movies, and even Star Wars and Star Trek equally.

The post VISIONQUEST May Pay Off 15-Year-Old CAPTAIN AMERICA Easter Egg appeared first on Nerdist.

A top executive at the AI lab told the Wall Street Journal that the model in question had displayed a poor aptitude for following orders.

Quick Take

• Alan Cumming spoke again about filming Avengers: Doomsday.
• This time, the actor said he doesn’t know what happens in the plot of the movie.
• Cumming also shared he had a scene with Yelena Belova but never met Florence Pugh on set.
• Nerdist take: At some point we’d love to hear who Alan Cumming actually did scenes with.

I love Alan Cumming. Above and beyond how good an actor (and host) he is, Cumming is one of the most likeable dudes in Hollywood. And he tells it like it is. This guy is just so up front about everything, it’s honestly refreshing. He’s broken Marvel embargo yet again to talk about his time filming Avengers: Doomsday, which more and more seems like just a thing he did for the stories. He certainly (it seems) didn’t spend much time with other cast members. Their stunt doubles? Much more so.

20th Century Studios

When speaking to SiriusXM (via Variety) about The Traitors: New Blood, the candid actor explained he has next to no idea what is happening in his return to the role of Nightcrawler. “To be honest, I don’t fully understand the plot,” Cumming said. Now, comic book movies have pretty complicated plots anyway. Dealing with incursions as we are with Doomsday is much more so. Hell, I’m not convinced the Russo brothers understand the movie and it isn’t even out yet. But, Cumming, who I’m sure doesn’t have a super large role in the movie, seems just happy to be there.

“There was a bit when we were shooting a scene, and it was one of the rare scenes when I was actually on the backlot and not in front of a blue screen,” Cumming said. “And this man came and said, ‘So right now Alan, these giant robots are blah blah,’ and started to tell me the thing, and I was like, ‘You know what, thank you so much, but just tell me where I point my, whatever I point. And I’ll do that. Really, I just know I’m here to run around.’”

Marvel Studios

Cumming also let slip that, just as he never actually met Pedro Pascal during Nightcrawler’s fight with Reed Richards, he never filmed with the real Yelena Belova. “And I saw Florence Pugh yesterday at the Emmys,” he added. “And I said, ‘Gosh, it’s so funny. I’ve never met you, but you lay on top of me, or your body double did.’ And she goes, ‘Yeah I lay on top of you as well, but it was your body double.’”

I’m sure it’s next to impossible to get an eight hour chair video’s worth of actors in one place at one time. But, at some point I’d love to hear who Alan Cumming actually did scenes with. So far it sounds like he hung out on green screens with stand-ins. Anyone else?

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters December 18.

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

The post Alan Cumming Doesn’t Understand AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Plot appeared first on Nerdist.

Self-driving truck company Aurora laid out an audacious plan for 2030. Its CFO says its targets aren't aspirational.

Quick Take

• Ian Alexander joins The Last of Us season three alongside John Goodman.
• Alexander and Goodman will play original characters in The Last of Us world, described as ‘Heroes of the Highway.’
• Nerdist Take: While these characters sound like fun, we feel it was a missed opportunity not to cast Ian Alexander as the character they voice in The Last of Us: Part II video game, Lev. Since Lev is a transgender character and Alexander is a transgender actor who already knows the role, it seems like the obvious choice.

Sometimes, TV series have a really obvious decision to make… And they just don’t make it. In this case, basically every The Last of Us fan out there wanted Ian Alexander to play the character of Lev. Alexander voices Lev in The Last of Us: Part II video game, after all, and the consensus seems to be that they would be perfect for the live-action role as well. Lev, in both the game and the season, is a transgender man, and Ian Alexander is as well. Not to mention, Alexander already knows all the nuances of the role. But alas, Ian Alexander will play a different role in The Last of Us season three, and a non-trans actress will play Lev. Actor John Goodman has been cast alongside Ian Alexander, and the pair will play Joey and Paco.

HBO/Bianca Catbagan/Naughty Dog

A release from HBO shares that in The Last of Us season three, John Goodman plays “Joey” and Ian Alexander plays “Paco,” and the pair are “a friendly duo who dub themselves ‘Heroes of the Highway.'” Unlike many of the side characters that populate The Last of Us‘ TV universe, Joey and Paco are original creations from the series and are not based on any characters from The Last of Us: Part II video game or the original The Last of Us game.

HBO Nerdist Take: Not Casting Ian Alexander as Lev in The Last of Us Season 3 Is a Missed Opportunity

The pair of characters do sound like a surprisingly sweet duo for the The Last of Us world. And we have no doubt they will be a really fun set of characters that add some levity and light to the dark world awaiting us in The Last of Us season three. We’re also glad to see Ian Alexander be a part of the live-action series in some capacity, especially acting with a beloved actor like John Goodman.

But ultimately, we would have loved to see Ian Alexander play Lev. We’re glad Lev will remain a transgender character in The Last of Us season three; however, this story decision would be even more potent if it gave a transgender actor the chance to shine in a role made for them. It feels like a huge missed opportunity not to have cast Ian Alexander as Lev… Especially when it feels like the choice should have been an obvious one.

The Last of Us seasons one and two currently stream on HBO Max.

Rotem Rusak is the Editor-in-Chief at Nerdist. She is a great lover of the anti-hero and is always ready for a new ship to set sail. In her work, she likes to combine fandom passion with journalistic sensibilities. Follow her on Instagram.

The post Ian Alexander Joins THE LAST OF US Season 3, But Not as Lev (A Missed Opportunity) appeared first on Nerdist.

Quick Take

• Laura Bailey is playing Elizabeth in The Last of Us season three.
• Elizabeth is a leader of The Last of Us‘ Seraphite faction and does briefly appear in the game.
• Bailey, who voiced Abby in the game, will likely meet live-action Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever.

It’s happening! Critical Role star and original Abby voice, Laura Bailey, is joining The Last of Us season three. Laura Bailey, of course, is an acclaimed voice actress beyond her work as many different Dungeons & Dragons characters on Critical Role, the franchise where we know her best. To some, she will always be the voice of Abby in The Last of Us: Part II video game. And that’s admittedly, no minor role. The Last of Us series has opted away from casting voice actors in the roles they originated, but they have enjoyed sneaking in voices from the video game where they can. Thus, Laura Bailey will not, of course, play Abby on The Last of Us TV series; instead, she’ll play “Elizabeth.”

Naughty Dog/Critical Role Jump To:

• Who Is Laura Bailey Playing in The Last of Us TV Series? Elizabeth, Explained
• Is Laura Bailey’s The Last of Us Season 3 Character From the Games?
• We Bet Abby’s Voice Actress and Her Live-Action Actress Will Meet in The Last of Us TV Series

Who Is Laura Bailey Playing in The Last of Us TV Series? Elizabeth, Explained

In The Last of Us season three, Laura Bailey will play Elizabeth. The series notes that Elizabeth is “one of the leaders of the religious sect known as the Seraphites.” We briefly met the Seraphites in The Last of Us season two and learned they were a group organized around their shared worship of a figure called “The Prophet.” The Seraphites shun modern technology and are in direct conflict with the W.L.F., the militaristic Seattle faction Abby is part of.

With The Last of Season 3 going back in time to tell the tale of season two from Abby’s point of view, there’s no doubt we’ll see a ton more from both the Seraphites and the W.L.F.

Is Laura Bailey’s The Last of Us Season 3 Character From the Games?

Yes, Laura Bailey’s character in The Last of Us season 3 comes from The Last of Us: Part II video game. However, in the video game, Elizabeth is mentioned as a Seraphite mother but is never seen. Abby and Lev overhear Elizabeth’s husband discussing the death of their son. Elizabeth’s son was killed by the W.L.F. while on patrol with her husband, but Elizabeth would not accept the new child offered to her by the Seraphite Elders. This description does not quite match up with the one we receive of Bailey’s Elizabeth from The Last of Us TV series. But the show is famously good at taking minor video game characters and expanding their arcs. No doubt, for someone of Laura Bailey’s esteem, The Last of Us season three will do an amazing job crafting a compelling role.

We Bet Abby’s Voice Actress and Her Live-Action Actress Will Meet in The Last of Us TV Series HBO Naughty Dog

Abby is about to meet Abby. In The Last of Us season three, Kaitlyn Dever will again play Abby as the audience gets to know her point of view. But we have no doubt that Dever’s Abby is about to meet the voice of Abby, Laura Bailey, on the big screen. Seeing the pair interact will no doubt be a special treat for The Last of Us fans across mediums. That’s two Abbys for the price of one.

The Last of Us seasons one and two currently stream on HBO Max.

Rotem Rusak is the Editor-in-Chief at Nerdist. She is a great lover of the anti-hero and is always ready for a new ship to set sail. In her work, she likes to combine fandom passion with journalistic sensibilities. Follow her on Instagram.

The post Who Is Laura Bailey Playing in THE LAST OF US Season 3? appeared first on Nerdist.

The new financing is expected to more than triples the AI infrastructure startup's valuation from just four months ago.

The acquisition will see World Labs founder Fei-Fei Li join AMD as executive vice president and chief scientist.

Quick Take

• HBO’s Lanterns has introduced many people to the characters of Hal Jordan and John Stewart, and these DC Comics Green Lantern stories served as inspiration.
• These stories span the 1970s to the modern day, from renowned creators like Denny O’Neil, Neal Adams, Len Wein, Dave Gibbons, Darwyn Cooke, and Geoff Johns.
• Nerdist’s take: If you love Lanterns, you’ll find something to love in most or all of these classic Green Lantern tales from across the decades.

Lanterns has become a sensation on HBO Max, giving viewers a gritty take on the Green Lantern mythology. Although far more grounded than the stories it’s based on, Lanterns nevertheless draws plenty of inspiration from several Green Lantern comics from across DC Comics history. Here are seven we think Lanterns‘ newer fans would enjoy, and we explain how they influenced the current DCU streaming series.

Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard-Travelin’ Heroes (1970-1972) by Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams DC Comics

Even though Green Lantern has long been a series about cosmic threats, it needed a modern refresh in the early ’70s. So DC Comics hired Batman creative team Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams to rebrand it as Green Lantern/Green Arrow. DC now paired Hal with the liberal activist vigilante Ollie Queen, the Green Arrow. The two men journeyed across America in an effort to “find themselves,” and connect with folks in everyday America. The two would argue constantly and challenge each other’s values, all while finding a way to fight evil together. The vibes of this series definitely informed much of what the Lanterns creators are doing. Only on Lanterns, with Hal and John instead of Hal and Ollie.

Get Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard Traveling Heroes Omnibus

Green Lantern/Green Arrow #87 (1972) by Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams DC Comics

Technically, this issue is one of the stories in “Hard-Travelin’ Heroes.” But it’s worth singling out this one issue. If you love Aaron Pierre’s portrayal of John Stewart in Lanterns, we highly recommend you read the issue where it all began for him, in the story “Beware My Power.” This issue by O’Neil and Adams from 1972 introduced John as DC’s first superpowered African-American superhero. This is long before he was retconned into being a US Marine. But John’s earnestness, social activism, and belief that he’d make the superior Lantern are baked in from the very beginning. And it all started right here for the character.

Green Lantern Vol. 2 #182-199 (1984-1985) by Len Wein, Steve Englehart, Dave Gibbons, and Joe Staton DC Comics

John Stewart famously first appeared in 1972’s Green Lantern #87, as mentioned above. He then made a mere four appearances throughout the rest of that decade, functioning only as Hal’s ‘backup.’ But eventually, Hal quits the Corps to stay with his girlfriend Carol Ferris on Earth. As a result, the Guardians of the Universe elevate John Stewart from backup to the main Green Lantern of Sector 2814. John holds that position for the better part of two years. Although at first he wears a mask, he eventually reveals his true identity to the world. These are the first stories where John Stewart truly takes over as Green Lantern, elevated to more than a replacement when Hal is injured. So these issues are highly influential on Lanterns.

Get Green Lantern Sector 2814 Vol. 2

Green Lantern: Secret Origin (2009) by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis DC Comics

DC Comics has explored Hal Jordan’s past as a test pilot before, starting in the 1989 series Emerald Dawn. Especially his relationship with his famous pilot father, Martin Jordan, who tragically died in a fighter jet accident when Hal was a kid. But it was in Geoff Johns’ storyline Secret Origin that really fleshed out Hal’s complicated relationship with his father, and the legacy he felt he had to live up to his whole life. Much of Hal’s early childhood, and the father/son dynamic we see in Lanterns, comes directly from how Johns and Reis portrayed it in Secret Origin.

Get Green Lantern: Secret Origin

Justice League #5 (1987) by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire DC Comics

In episode six of Lanterns, we see that Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) has installed a “Green Lantern signal” in the town of Rushville. Something he did to mimic (and probably mock) that “Bat-guy in Gotham.” The way he spoke about Batman suggests that Guy does not have warm feelings toward him. In the comics, the two served on the Justice League International together. And in 1987’s Justice League #5, Guy attacked Batman without his ring to prove a point about his manliness, and Batman famously knocked him out cold on the floor after one punch. Guy would lie on the floor of JL headquarters for a good couple of issues. But this is where the long-running Guy vs. Bat animosity truly began.

Get Justice League International Book One

Action Comics Weekly (1988) by Christopher Priest and Gil Kane DC Comics

In 1988, DC’s long-running Green Lantern series, which began in 1960, came to an end with Green Lantern Corps #224. In that issue, the central power battery on Oa collapses, leaving only three power rings in the cosmos, one of which was Hal Jordan’s. As a result, John Stewart goes back to Earth to resume civilian life in the short-lived Action Comics Weekly. But after his wife Katma Tui gets murdered by Star Sapphire, John’s life unravels. Hal’s ring goes to him when he becomes incapacitated, but he angrily rejects it, after being falsely arrested for his wife’s murder. This story is the first time John rejects the power ring out of righteous anger, and it’s an action that would happen on screen in live-action in Lanterns. Sadly, this story isn’t collected at all, but some issues are available on the DC Universe Infinite app.

DC Comics: The New Frontier (2004) by Darwyn Cooke DC Comics

Although technically an Elseworlds tale, Darwyn Cooke’s DC: The New Frontier places DC’s heroes in the historical era they first appeared in. In this instance, that means the late ‘50s/early ‘60s, at the dawn of the space age. Our POV character throughout much of New Frontier is test pilot Hal Jordan, and Lanterns creators Tom King and Damon Lindelof cited it as a major inspiration for Hal Jordan’s gung-ho pilot portrayal in Lanterns. You can definitely view the Hal from this comic as the younger version of Kyle Chandler’s Hal. Also, New Frontier showcases novice heroes working with veterans to solve a cosmic mystery on Earth. All of which is very similar to the story of Lanterns.

Get DC: The New Frontier

DC Comics

Lanterns drops new episodes every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.

This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!

Eric Diaz is a staff writer at Nerdist and a Swiss Army knife of fandoms. Eric loves DC, Marvel, horror movies, and even Star Wars and Star Trek equally.

The post These DC Comics Stories Are Perfect for LANTERNS Fans appeared first on Nerdist.

Quick Take

• We are all used to silencing our cell phones at the movie theater, but today I urge you to consider turning off your smartwatch as well.

The cast of Avengers: Doomsday came together to share an important PSA: Silence your cell phones at the movie theater! And that IS an important message. But it’s one we feel like everyone has basically heard. And, more or less, people do follow that specific rule. Do people keep their phones in their pockets at the movies? Not as much. Generally, though, they silence them. But today we are here to talk about the silence menace that’s become more and more of an issue at the movie theater: SMARTWATCHES. Some smartwatches light up ambiently all the time, even when they aren’t actively delivering notifications, and they definitely flash when they do. And when people wear said smartwatches to the movie theater, they are a CONSTANT source of distracting light.

Marvel Studios/Apple

Maybe you’re not thinking about the impact of your smartwatch at the movies. We guess that’s fair; after all, no fancy Avengers are reminding you that the light from your watch can be highly irritating. But now, I’ve brought this critical issue to your attention. So you can’t pretend no one has ever made you stop and consider whether your wrist is actively annoying everyone around you in the darkened theater. It IS! Turn that Smartwatch off or remove it from your wrist before you head to the movies. Don’t make me have to say it again!

RELATED ARTICLE

How Popcorn Became the Premier Movie Theater Snack

In the meantime, I’ll personally call up Thor to see if he can help spread awareness about this issue. But seriously, cell phones, smartwatches, your glowing alien egg, whatever it is, if you’re heading in to see a movie, you don’t need those things. And the people around you certainly don’t need or want them either. Just let the movie you’re there to see do all the glowing and pulsing. Trust us, you’ll have a much better time if you do.

Rotem Rusak is the Editor-in-Chief at Nerdist. She is a great lover of the anti-hero and is always ready for a new ship to set sail. In her work, she likes to combine fandom passion with journalistic sensibilities. Follow her on Instagram.

The post Turn Off Your Smartwatch at the Movie Theater!!! appeared first on Nerdist.

Shopify is expanding WebMCP support to checkout, allowing browser-based AI agents to update order details and complete purchases with a buyer’s authorization.

Tesla says the event "can only be held outdoors," as it's expected to show the car flying in some form using SpaceX thrusters.