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Joby Aviation reached an agreement to acquire Resonant Sciences, which will kick off its new defense business.

The Delta flight crew switched off the aircraft's legitimate Wi-Fi network for around 30 minutes due to the incident, according to a spokesperson.

⚡ Quick Take

• Jack Shi, who lives at Peter Parker’s comic address in Forest Hills, receives kids’ fanmail addressed to the hero.
• Shi says he had no idea the address belonged to the hero when he moved in.
• Realistically, neither Peter parker nor Aunt May could afford to live at 20 Ingram Street.

Dear Spider-Man, do you really live at 20 Ingram Street? If you’ve ever written a letter to the web-slinging hero, chances are it may have instead made its way to Jack Shi. Hailing from China, Shi owns the home at the address where Aunt May and Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man live in the comics.

Marvel

Shi initially had no idea that he was buying the house at this infamous address, which is 20 Ingram Street in Forest Hills, New York. It wasn’t until he started getting letters addressed to Spider-Man that he realized the significance of the number on his new house.

“Spider-Man, this is the American spirit. If I am living here, I should do as Spider-Man,” Shi said to The New York Post. “If someone wants to take a picture, I say yes.”

Shi now feels the responsibility that comes with owning the multi-million-dollar home—other than the steep house cleaning bill. Lovingly receiving letters from hopeful kids writing to Spidey alongside welcoming hordes of photo-taking fans from all over the world has made Shi a hero himself to many fans.

A man in NYC bought a house that has the same address as Peter Parker & Aunt May's address from Spider-Man and he's been receiving letters from children who think they're writing to Spider-Man 🥺

via NY Post pic.twitter.com/i0dKBYBKdx

— Complex Pop Culture (@ComplexPop) August 8, 2026

The address even appears on Google Maps as “Spider-Man’s home.”

Unless May and Ben were exceedingly well off, the likelihood of them being able to afford to own the home is slim. It seems Marvel has caught on to this and has changed the location of his abode in recent additions to the franchise.

Along with this, after the release of Brand New Day, internet users have joked (and genuinely questioned) about the fact that there was no indication throughout the movie that Spider-Man has a job of any kind, though he has his own apartment and upgrades his suit and gear every other scene. As arguably the most street-level installment in the Tom Holland run thus far, it seems the one fact of life the writers neglected to touch on was paying rent. And no, this isn’t just me lamenting the lack of journalistic representation, though I do miss Daily Bugle Peter.

In an odd coincidence, one resident of Ingram Street reported that the past residents shared the hero’s last name: Parker. That’s very cool. If you’re looking to reach Spider-Man with your letter, you may just get an everyday hero reading it.

The post Man Who Lives at Peter Parker’s Address Gets Spider-Man Letters appeared first on Nerdist.

Block Blast!, the most downloaded mobile game of 2025, is coming to Apple Arcade in September where it will be ad-free.

Rivian's CEO RJ Scaringe is speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to detail his journey, and the lessons it’s bestowed.

FlightAware says that Kalshi used its name and data to offer bets on flight cancellations without the flight tracker's permission.

This post contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon‘s season three finale. If you want to avoid them for now you can instead check out our coverage of episode seven.

⚡ Quick Take

• Rhaenyra’s descent into “madness” was on full display in House of the Dragon‘s season three finale.
• The stories of Daenerys Targaryen and Rhaenyra might not be exactly the same, but they both became “Mad Queens” for the same reason.
• Rhaenyra and Daenerys’ desperate pursuit of power caused them both to develop a god-like savior complex.

HBO

Rhaenyra Targaryen spent House of the Dragon‘s second season trying to avoid bloodshed. Her refusal to rain fire and blood on the Realm was so obvious that Ormund Hightower, who mocked her concern as a woman’s weakness, counted on her temperance as part of his plan. In season three’s finale, even Ulf laughed about how Daemon wouldn’t use his dragon against Tumbleton because the Queen had him on a short leash.

He wasn’t wrong. She instructed her husband to “not make a monster” out of her while attacking the city. That doesn’t sound anything like Daenerys Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s descendent who showed her enemies no mercy and claimed the Iron Throne by burning King’s Landing to the ground.

And yet, despite the differences in their actions, it’s clear House of the Dragon is drawing a clear link between Rhaenyra and Daenerys. They were both good women whose quest for power made them mad queens with a savior complex.

HBO

House of the Dragon‘s season three finale had multiple references to “The Bells,” Game of Thrones‘ penultimate episode where Daenerys turned King’s Landing into a smoldering ruin. In the prequel, Helaena saw a pale horse, the same kind of harbinger of death and doom that Arya saw. Just like King’s Landing nearly 170 years later, we also experienced the horror of a smoldering city through the eyes of a queen’s loyal follower who looked on in disbelief at the destruction the war had wrought. Alyn even acted as a stand-in for Grey Worm, two noble warriors committing atrocities on behalf of their Queen.

Unlike Daenerys and the capital, Tumbleton’s destruction was not directly Rhaenyra’s fault. It’s certainly not what she wanted. Daemon was (for him) judicious in his use of Caraxes. Once the Red Worm blasted open the city’s gates, the King Consort proceeded on foot. It was Ulf the traitor acting on behalf of the Greens who brought fire and blood to the market town.

Regardless of who was responsible, the devastation was the same. Each Queens’ attack brought the same carnage to the very people they wanted to save. Innocent people burned and suffered in wars that both Rhaenyra and Daenerys waged so they could sit upon the Iron Throne. And each got to that spot after slowly succumbing to what many in the Realm call Targaryen madness.

HBO

Were the dragonlords of old Valyria who conquered Westeros really more susceptible to going mad than others? Did a “taint” run in their blood like some said? Did inbreeding cause some Targaryens to do unspeakable acts? Or were they simply as susceptible as anyone who lived a lavish lifestyle without consequence, pursued the throne, or both, to losing themselves to the trapping of power? Daenerys’ didn’t seem mad when she was liberating slaves in in Essos. It wasn’t until she faced multiple failures, setbacks, and personal loss in Westeros that she snapped. The Khaleesi who liberated Slaver’s Bay was not the woman who burned innocent people after King’s Landing had fallen.

Neither was the Rhaenyra who risked her life to meet with Alicent in King’s Landing on the small chance she could avoid war the woman who declared herself The Prince That Was Promised in House of the Dragon‘s season three finale. And that, far more than the similarities of an atrocity of dragonflame, is where Rhaenyra and Daenerys’ stories mirror one another on HBO. Once Daenerys claimed the Iron Throne she announced her plans to “break the wheel” across the entire world. She would free everyone everywhere, whether they wanted her to or not. Then she would rule them.

That declaration pushed Jon Snow to kill her. When he first went to speak with Tyrion after King’s Landing fell, Jon made excuses for why she’d done something so horrible. But Tyrion told Jon what he already knew. “She believes her destiny is to build a better world for everyone,” and she would do so by spreading fire and blood to all of it.

Rhaenyra also believed she was destined to save everyone. She shared the biggest, most important secret in the world during an emotional, desperate frenzy where she claimed the gods had surely chosen her to rule. It was Daenerys’ own declaration in another form. Standing on the steps of Baelor’s Sept after she had the High Septon killed, Rhaenyra, compared herself to the most famous kings of Westeros in a stilted, wild speech about mythical monsters, prophesy, and divine purpose. It had to sound like madness personified to anyone who head it.

The gods summoned my ancestor, Aegon the Conqueror…. to the Seven Kingdoms to unite a fractured Realm beneath one banner of black and red. They named him Protector of the World of Men. His duty, to shield it… from an ancient and sinister darkness that looms in the far North… beyond the Wall, beyond the lands of winter. And only the might of dragons can stand against it. The Conqueror passed this sacred charge to his chosen descendants, to the Old King, Jaehaerys, then to my father, then to me. The Hightower line cannot fulfill this prophecy. If your world is to survive… I must light the way. Because I am the Shield of the People. I am Rhaenyra the Chosen.

HBO

“I am Rhaenyra the Chosen.”

We know Rhaenyra is partly right. An ancient and sinister darkness looms beyond the Wall. But we know she is not the prophesied Prince. Even if she were, how could anyone else at her absurd, chaotic, deadly coronation believe anything she said? Any ruler declaring themselves the literal chosen savior of the gods would sound as mad as any Targaryen who ever wielded power in Westeros. That was how Daenerys sounded to Jon Snow when she justified her plans for world domination. She told him, while King’s Landing still burned, only the two of them know what is “good.”

In her quest for power, her entire reason for living, Daenerys lost herself. She wasn’t born mad. Khaleesi turned her grief, frustration, sadness, loss, and desperation into anger. That led her to develop a god-like savior complex. And when you believe you and you alone know what’s good for everyone, you can justify any actions as right. It’s how you justify burning down a city you want to rule and had already won.

HBO

But while Rhaenyra didn’t want to look like a monster and her sins were not one of fire and blood, her descent came about for the same reasons as Daenerys’ own. Just as her descendent will do, Rhaenyra turned her own grief, frustration, and desperation into anger. That manifested into the same god-like savior complex that is no different from “madness.” And maybe that’s why so many Targaryens seemed to follow a similar path. When you become obsessed with power and believe you are owed it, you can go mad trying to prove to everyone you’re right.

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

The post Rhaenyra’s Descent Into Madness in HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Mirrors Daenerys appeared first on Nerdist.

Fusion power startups are turning to Kyoto Fusioneering to supply components for future power pants. The Japan-based startup just received a grant to build a part of the fuel system.

⚡ Quick Take

• We believe The Rings of Power’s Dark Wizard is really a Blue Wizard.
• The Rings of Power‘s season 2 finale pointed to the Dark Wizard being Saruman, but the showrunners call that unlikely.
• Not much is known about the Blue Wizards from Tolkien’s lore and texts, but what is known matches with what we know about the Dark Wizard in The Rings of Power.
• Go Deeper Into the Lore: For more on wizards and the other inhabitants of Middle-earth in The Rings of Power, head to “Every LORD OF THE RINGS Race We’ve Met So Far on RINGS OF POWER“

The Rings of Power‘s season two finale saw the return of Ciarán Hinds’ Dark Wizard. His goals and allegiances turned out to be different than we thought, but in an episode that confirmed The Stranger is really Gandalf, everything we saw from Hinds’ powerful sorcerer pointed to him also having a famous name. Just like everything else he did during the season, he gave us plenty of reason to believe he’s really Saruman. Only, the Prime Video series showrunners have said that’s likely impossible. So if the Dark Wizard is not Saruman, who could he be? The identity of the Dark Wizard may be revealed to be one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ill-fated Blue Wizards of the Second Age.

Prime Video Table of contents

• The Dark Wizard Seemed Like the Perfect Saruman
• The Rings of Power ‘s Showrunners Said the Dark Wizard Is NOT Saruman
• Here’s Why the Dark Wizard Could be a Blue Wizard Instead
• Regardless of the Dark Wizard’s Identity, Gandalf will Seek to Help Him
• The Rings of Power Season 3 Is Coming Soon

The Dark Wizard Seemed Like the Perfect Saruman

From the moment he arrived on Middle-earth, all signs pointed to The Stranger secretly being Gandalf. And that’s exactly who he is. The same has been true of the Dark Wizard and Saruman since he made his debut in season two. Everything about him, including his appearance and staff, pointed to him secretly being the infamous White Wizard of The Lord of the Rings. And that continued into the final episode, where he cast aside his sinister human loyalists and cult followers and tried to embrace his “old friend” The Stranger.

Despite both being emissaries of Manwë, King of the Valar, The Stranger did not ally with his fellow Istar. The Dark Wizard hopes to succeed Sauron after defeating him. Gandalf would rather wander the desert nameless than try and rule. That greatly upset the Dark Wizard who’d waited a long time for his friend to arrive. He responded by trying destroy the halflings to teach his “kin” a lesson about showing pity in a world fighting Sauron.

Prime Video

The Dark Wizard’s actions in the season two finale only strengthened the theory around his real identity. He arrived long before the Stranger as one of five Istari to aide in the defeat of Sauron, yet he wants to replace Sauron as Middle-earth’s ruler. He also loves Gandalf and wants him by his side, but turned on The Stranger in anger when Gandalf refused. That all aligns with Saruman’s story in the Third Age, in the same way The Stranger’s own story on The Rings of Power has aligned with Gandalf’s. Saruman the White will arrive as the noble, good, powerful leader of five wizards. But after a long time he will succumb to darkness. He will ally with sinister forces, including Sauron, in hopes of replacing the Dark Lord as Middle-earth’s ruler.

The Rings of Power‘s Showrunners Said the Dark Wizard Is NOT Saruman

Yet, despite all those many obvious and direct connections, it is apparently “highly, highly, highly improbable” the Dark Wizard is Saruman. That’s what The Rings of Power‘s showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay told Vanity Fair in an interview about season two. Payne said it might actually be “impossible” for him to be Saruman. McKay then added “it would almost defy the laws of gravity and physics for [the Dark Wizard] to be Saruman.

NewLine Cinema

Their clever choice of words does not rule out the Dark Wizard being Saruman entirely. “Almost impossible” still means “possible.” But if they’re correct, who could Hinds be playing if not Saruman? Like the Dark Wizard, Payne and McKay referenced five wizards. One of the other three they cited is Radagast the Brown, of which there is no evidence he’s the show’s Dark Wizard. But the other two intriguing figures they mentioned do make sense. Known as the Blue Wizards, their story has much in common with Hinds’s Istar on The Rings of Power.

Here’s Why the Dark Wizard Could be a Blue Wizard Instead

In classic J.R.R. Tolkien fashion, the canonical history of the Blue Wizards in Middle-earth is unclear. Tolkien changed their story over time while not giving definitive answers about who they were or what happened to them. Even their names changed. But what he did say connects them to The Rings of Power‘s Dark Wizard. Also known as Ithryn Luin for their sea-blue robes, they were two of five Istar who made up the Order of the Wizards.

Named in one place as Alatar and Pallando (whom Alatar convinced to come with him), they arrived in Middle-earth in the Second Age with a mission to “circumvent Sauron.” They were there to undercut remaining loyalty to Morgoth and Sauron among men and to raise up those who opposed them. Whatever they did or didn’t accomplish, the only wizard who remained true to his purpose entirely was Gandalf. Tolkien wrote he didn’t know what exactly happened to the Blue Wizards of the Second Age, but he feared what befell them. And that fear mirrors the Dark Wizard’s story on The Rings of Power. Here’s what the author said:

I think that they went as emissaries to distant regions, east and south.

Missionaries to enemy occupied lands as it were. What success they had I do not know; but I fear that they failed, as Saruman did, though doubtless in different ways; and I suspect they were founders or beginners of secret cults and “magic” traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron.

Prime Video

The Dark Wizard made clear his first mission is to stop Sauron. That’s why Manwë sent him and his fellow Istari to the east. But after generations on Middle-earth a cult of mystics rose up in Rhûn around the Dark Wizard. They believed he also wants to serve Sauron. And while his original intentions might have been noble, the Dark Wizard is now a killer who believes the means justify the ends. He’s lost whatever good was in him in his quest for ultimate power.

That sounds like Saruman. But The Rings of Power showrunners are right, there are obvious issues with that possibility. It also makes way more sense their Dark Wizard is really one of the Blue Wizards we know so little about.

Regardless of the Dark Wizard’s Identity, Gandalf will Seek to Help Him

Gandalf actor Daniel Weyman shared that Gandalf hasn’t given up on the Dark Wizard yet. And that in The Rings of Power season three, Gandalf will try to touch his heart and save him from darkness. Undoubtedly, when that happens, we will also learn the true identity of the Dark Wizard on The Rings of Power.

But no matter what his true identity—whether he’s Saruman, Alatar, Pallando, Radagast, or someone else entirely—The Stranger’s identity will always matter more. The only wizard the races of Middle-earth can count on in the Second Age is the one they will also rely on in the Third, Gandalf.

The Rings of Power Season 3 Is Coming Soon

The Rings of Power season three premieres on Prime Video on November 11. The full release schedule can be found here. If you’d like to get yourself ready for this return to Middle-earth, you can pick up The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth or The Silmarillion and read more about Tolkien’s vision of the time when the show takes place.

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!

Originally published October 4, 2024.

The post If THE RINGS OF POWER’s Ciarán Hinds Isn’t Saruman, Then Is He A Blue Wizard? appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Video game-to-screen adaptations have been very successful, and studios are continuing to ride that wave.
• From Sonic 4 to Elden Ring, major video game movies are rolling out soon.
• It doesn’t stop at movies, with popular game-to-show series getting renewals and plenty more announced to be in production.

To say that video game adaptations have been doing very well in recent years feels like an understatement. For example, A Minecraft Movie grossed $960.3 million worldwide in 2025, and there’s a sequel coming in 2027. Games are also becoming popular TV shows, with streaming series like Fallout and The Last of Us scoring additional seasons and even more fans.

With that said, fans of many more popular franchises can expect to see live-action and animated adaptations, both new as well as continuing stories, coming to the screen very soon. Here is our ultimate list of upcoming video game-to-screen adaptations to keep on your radar.

The Video Game Movie Adaptations That We Want to See

The next few years are going to be packed with game-to-movie adaptations. And these are only the ones that we know about right now. From Lara Croft to Freddy Fazbear, iconic video game characters will be making their way to the screen in live-action and animated forms.

Resident Evil Sony Pictures

Capcom’s most famous horror game, Resident Evil, is finally getting a reboot. The first Resident Evil game came out in 1996 on the PlayStation and has since become part of a widely beloved, expansive video game universe. The new movie will have aspects of the second through fourth (of thirteen) games, and fans are hopeful for a better adaptation than the 2002-2021 series.

Zach Cregger, director of Barbarian and Weapons, told Entertainment Weekly that the movie is not a retelling of the games, but instead a separate story taking place in their world. Resident Evil will come to theaters on September 18.

Street Fighter Legendary/Paramount

Another Capcom title, Street Fighter, is no stranger to the screen and is getting another cinema round. Based on the 1990s 2D arcade game, the movie will include not only beloved characters but callbacks to iconic moments in Street Fighter history. The trailer references Chun-Li’s epic fight with Vega in the 1994 anime, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, and the car-smashing side quest seen in multiple games. Not to mention, the fight choreography and costuming look pretty legit.

Street Fighter comes out on October 16.

Angry Birds 3 Paramount Pictures

It’s not often a mobile game gets a movie, let alone three. The first two installments of this series focused on the main “angry bird,” Red, saving the birds from the threats of the evil green pigs and the eagles. Now, Red will face his biggest challenge yet: fatherhood. Despite a synopsis saying Red will be “saving the world,” the official trailer gives very few details about the plot and focuses almost entirely on Red’s two teenagers and infant. Both Chuck, played by Josh Gad, and Bomb, Danny McBride, returned in the trailer and certainly upped the funniness factor.

Angry Birds 3 will come out on December 23, 2026.

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Paramount Pictures

Throughout the first three movies, Sonic goes from a shunned criminal on Earth (after fleeing his home world) to a hero. The fourth movie will bring on a new challenge: Metal Sonic. Jim Carrey will be returning as Sonic’s hilariously evil primary villain, Dr Ivo Robotnik (a.k.a. Eggman). James Marsden, the king of talking-creature movies, will continue to play Sonic’s human sidekick. And of course, Ben Schwartz will reboot his role as Sonic.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 comes out on March 19 of next year.

The Legend of Zelda Nintendo

Besides a 1989 animated series, Zelda fans have really only had the games. Now, the series is getting its first movie. Not much is out yet about the plot other than a generic outline that pretty much every game in the franchise follows: Link will save the kingdom of Hyrule from Ganon.

Link is the main, playable hero in every Zelda game, but he rarely ever speaks. When he does, dialogue options are chosen by the player. Seeing a dialogue-heavy Link onscreen would be… weird, to say the least. Stills from the movie are encouraging when it comes to production quality, though.

The Legend of Zelda will come out on April 30, 2027.

A Minecraft Movie Squared Warner Bros.

With Jack Black playing Steve and Jason Momoa co-starring as Garrett Garrison, the first Minecraft movie was a big hit. That movie ended with a post-credit scene in which Steve meets Alex, who now lives in his old home. The second movie will feature Kirsten Dunst playing Alex.

A Minecraft Movie Squared comes out on July 23, 2027.

Elden Ring Bandai Namco/A24

Elden Ring is a 2022 fantasy game with world-building and writing by George R. R. Martin. The game’s story is reportedly difficult to understand, but A24 is turning it into a movie anyway. Martin is attached as a producer, and there is no information yet about the plot, though the studios have made the cast of characters public. Since its announcement, fans have spotted sets that look like locations from the game around the UK, and Bandai Namco reported that filming started in Spring 2026.

The live-action Elden Ring adaptation will come out on March 3, 2028.

Video Game Movie Adaptations With TBD Release Dates

• Five Nights at Freddy’s 3: Fans loved that the first two movies drew from the FNAF games in so many ways, seeing animatronics full-sized and in motion, and the many niche fan references. The third installment is expected to follow the prior two movies’ lead and represent the franchise’s third game, following Michael, a security guard in a horror attraction, with Springtrap as the antagonist.
• Helldivers: HELLDIVERS is a shooter video game franchise containing two games published almost a decade apart. The movie was supposed to star Jason Momoa, but as of this June, he exited the project. Prior, it was estimated to come out in November 2027, but now, nobody knows.
• Call of Duty: Activision is reportedly working on a movie based on the first-person shooter game. In April at CinemaCon, Paramount debuted a sizzle reel teaser (using almost all video game footage) and revealed the release date of June 30, 2028.
• Metroid (Unconfirmed): This is a fan theory that I personally have chosen to believe out of sheer hope. Nintendo has been sitting on the Metroid IP for decades, throwing fans a bone every ___ years or so with a new game, but according to rumors from April, Sony and Universal were bidding for the rights to make a Metroid movie.

The New and Returning Video Game TV Adaptations That We Can’t Wait to See

There is even more mystery surrounding upcoming TV adaptations of video games. For most of them, audiences are left in the dark with no information coming out about plot or, more importantly, the release dates. But this is what we know is coming up.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Season 2) Netflix/CD PROJEKT RED/TRIGGER

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners had an incredibly successful first season. Years later, the show is getting a second season. It will follow an entirely new cast of characters. The trailer explains nothing about the season, but it features amazing character designs, bloody action, and a nu-metal-esque song playing in the background throughout.

The show does not have an exact release date yet, but we do know it will be coming to Netflix this Fall.

Ghost of Tsushima Sony/Sucker Punch Studios

Ghost of Tsushima is being made into an anime by Crunchyroll, PlayStation Productions, Aniplex, and Sony Music. In the game, you play a samurai defending his island from a Mongol invasion. While no plot summary is public yet, we can assume the anime will follow the same main character.

It is set to premiere exclusively on Crunchyroll in 2027.

Fallout (Season 3) Prime Video

The Fallout series starring Ella Purnell has been one of Prime Video’s most successful video game adaptations. It quickly captured the hearts of Team Nerdist as well as you lovely readers, so we can’t wait to cover it once again.

No release date has been set for the post-apocalyptic show’s third season, but it could possibly land in later 2027.

Assassin’s Creed Netflix

Assassin’s Creed‘s live-action adaptation takes place in Rome, according to Tudum, and “is a high-octane thriller centered on the secret war between two shadowy factions — one set on determining mankind’s future through control and manipulation, while the other fights to preserve free will. The series follows its characters across pivotal historical events as they battle to shape humanity’s destiny.”

There’s no release date at this time.

Far Cry FX

Far Cry, a first-person shooter/survival franchise, is getting a limited FX series following the format of the games, with each season introducing a new location and cast of characters. There is no release date set nor a plot reveal for the first season, though one could imagine it will loosely follow along with the first game.

Tomb Raider Jay Maidment/Prime Video

“They’re making another Tomb Raider?” Yes, indeed. Starring Sophie Turner, the Prime Video live-action show is based on the 1990s adventure game following archaeologist Lara Croft. There’s no set release date yet, but some estimate it may be ready by late 2027.

God of War Sony Santa Monica Studios

Prime Video has a God of War live-action series is in development, and it will focus on the Norse era, which only spans the two most recent games. The series hit a major snag when its lead Ryan Hurst suffered a major injury that caused him to leave the series altogether. A new casting announcement for Kratos has yet to happen, and there’s no release date at this time.

Persona

This extensive Japanese slice of life/murder mystery/supernatural RPG series is being adapted by Netflix. Each game includes various odd, lovable characters and a high-school-aged protagonist who band together to fight dark forces.

Unnamed Riot Games Projects

After the global success of Arcane, a series following several characters from Riot Games’ League of Legends, a multiplayer battle arena game, Riot is gearing up for three new unnamed shows.

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

The post Video Game Movie and TV Show Adaptations That We Can’t Wait to See appeared first on Nerdist.

Bumble is ditching the rule that it has enforced since launching in 2024. Men can finally message first.

The investigation shows that North Koreans are able to infiltrate government agencies, as well as private organizations and crypto exchanges.

⚡ Quick Take

• AMC’s Queen of the Damned will continue the stories from Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat.
• The series will adapt the third book in Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series.
• Sheila Atim will star as Akasha, with Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, and Assad Zaman expected to return.
• Nerdist’s Take: Queen of the Damned might be the most complex and millennia-spanning chapter so far in the Anne Rice Immortal Universe.

To the delight of fans of sexy and morally complicated vampires everywhere, AMC Networks has announced a fourth season of Interview with the Vampire at Comic-Con 2026, now re-titled Anne Rice’s Queen of the Damned. This series will continue the storylines of the previous seasons, based on the Gothic novels of Anne Rice. Here’s everything we know so far about the highly anticipated series, set to sink its fangs into our collective necks in the next few years.

AMC Title

The title for the fourth season of the Interview with the Vampire franchise is Queen of the Damned, named for Anne Rice’s third installment of her long-running Vampire Chronicles series, which began in 1976. The title was officially confirmed via a special trailer released after The Vampire Lestat concluded, which you can view below.

Queen of the Damned, a.k.a. Interview with the Vampire Season 4’s Plot AMC

The plot of Queen of the Damned sees Akasha (Sheila Atim) a 6,000-year-old vampire and first of the undead race, arise from a centuries-long sleep. She arrives with a plan to unleash a genocidal rage against the males of the human race. Akasha awakens thanks to the music of the Vampire Lestat, whom she decides will be her new prince consort. But her many vampire children oppose her, leading to some deadly confrontations. The trailer released at Comic-Con suggests that Akasha will cause a global uprising among women. And the final moments of The Vampire Lestat suggest she will leave much destruction in her wake.

Behind the Scenes

Mark Johnson (who oversees AMC’s entire Anne Rice Immortal Universe) is the executive producer for The Queen of the Damned. For this season, The Vampire Lestat writer and producer Hannah Moscovitch takes over as showrunner from Rolin Jones, who ran the first three seasons and remains involved as an executive producer. Mark Taylor, Christopher Rice, and the late Anne Rice also serve as executive producers.

Queen of the Damned Cast AMC

Shelia Atim is starring as the titular Queen of the Damned Akasha, and she’s reprising her brief role from The Vampire Lestat. Also returning are Sam Reid as Lestat, Jacob Anderson as Louis, Assad Zaman as Armand, and Eric Bogosian as Daniel Molloy. Also probably returning are Jennifer Ehle as Gabriella, and Christopher Heyerdahl as Marius, Akasha’s former keeper. Although technically, the trailer confirmed no one except for Sheila Atim so far. If the show follows the book by Anne Rice to any degree of faithfulness, we should hear of several new cast members as well.

Queen of the Damned Release Date

The Queen of the Damned series currently has no release date on AMC and AMC+. However, there tends to be about two years between seasons for Interview with the Vampire. We’d love if it came out earlier, but right now, one can assume it’ll arrive sometime in 2028, probably during the summer.

You can currently stream all seasons of Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat on AMC+.

The post Everything We Know About QUEEN OF THE DAMNED appeared first on Nerdist.

Spotify is introducing “AI Persona” labels for artist profiles that represent AI-generated identities and will exclude their music from editorial, algorithmic, and personalized recommendations by default.

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⚡ Quick Take

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day has grossed $1.6 billion globally—so far.
• This $50 mask and web-shooter set from Amazon letsn anybody be their neighborhood Spider-Man.
• The mask has a squinting function using chin movement.

Personally, I am proudly one of those people who leave a movie theater feeling newly inspired. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, this year’s smash hit for moviegoers around the world, already grossing $1.6 billion globally, filled me with inspiration. Inspiration for looking fabulous!

If you likewise felt inspired to spin your own webs and would rather not pay a fortune for a custom mask build, there is a better option. For only $49.99, you—yes you!—can become your neighborhood’s friendly Spider-Man with a mask featuring moving eyes.

Tarrshiney / Amazon

The friendly neighborhood hero stands for the fact that “anyone can wear the mask.” Heroism is everywhere, and Spider-Man has always recognized that. Brand New Day accomplished that portrayal better than any other movie with Tom Holland playing the hero—it was street-level, not multiversal, and Spider-Man solved smaller-scale problems while dealing with his emotional well-being.

The mask’s movement is operated using chin movement. Parker’s Homecoming suit’s design inspired the color. A gridded, mesh-like material hides the wearer’s eyes, allowing them to see through clearly but still keep their identity secret (as any Spider-Man would). It goes from a relaxed, regular look to a spidey-squint rivaling even Peter Parker’s.

Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

You don’t just get the mask, either. The mask comes with gloves and wrist-equipped web-slingers that shoot suction-cup “webs.” It definitely makes for a fun toy for any Spidey fan, adults and kids alike. Did I mention the mask and gloves use zippers? No more pulling a tiny neck hole over your head, stretching out the mask, and ruining your perfectly styled hair.

Brand New Day is making waves at the box office and making everybody want to be an everyday hero. In that spirit, this mask is a necessary purchase for the Spider-Fan in your life. Or, for those who, like me, felt inspired leaving the theater and want to look cooler than the many other Spider-Man costume-wearers this Halloween.

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!

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