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As younger users grow increasingly tired of the endless scroll, dating apps are scrambling to adapt to a generation that increasingly wants dating to feel more social and rooted in real-world experiences. The latest example comes from Tinder, which on Wednesday announced the launch of “Group Hangouts,” a new feature that lets groups of friends […]

Quick Take

• Sony and Prime Video are developing a series based on Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man Clone Saga, which is all about characters who discover they are cloned from Spider-Man’s DNA. Does this mean younger lookalikes of known Peter Parker actors like Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire?
• The Clone Saga series will focus on Spider-clones from the pages of Marvel Comics like Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker, among other Spider-Man clones.
• Nerdist’s take: Unless Sony can find a way to mention the words “Spider-Man” and “Peter Parker” in this series, we just don’t see how a Clone Saga show works

Sony and Prime Video are currently developing a live-action series based on the infamous ’90s Marvel Comics Spider-Man storyline, the Clone Saga. In that story, which lasted two years and covered dozens and dozens of comics, Peter Parker discovered there were several clones of himself running around, some of them for years. One of them, Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider, even took over as Spider-Man for a hot minute. There were others too, including Kaine Parker. But if Sony is adapting the Clone Saga, and they can’t use the MCU Peter Parker, or even Andrew Garfield’s or Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parkers, will they start looking for lookalike actors? And could that even work?

Sony Is Making a Series About Spider-Man Clones That Can’t Utilize Spider-Man Himself Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures

The way the Spider-Man live-action rights are divied up is a tad confusing. Sony, not Marvel Studios, has the rights to make live-action series based on the Spider-Man IP. However, because of Peter Parker’s connections to Disney’s MCU, they can’t uctually use Spider-Man as a character himself. Or, more specifically, they can’t use the names “Peter Parker” or “Spider-Man.” That’s why Nicolas Cage’s character in Spider-Noir was just “the Spider,” and his civilian name was Ben Reilly. It’s why Kraven, Madame Web, and Morbius couldn’t even mention Spider-Man. But what could this mean for a story all about characters cloned from the DNA of famous superhero, Spider-Man? To get anyone to care about this, we really think Sony simply has to find a way to utter the words “Spider-Man” and “Peter Parker” in this show, or just don’t bother.

Could They Cast Younger Lookalikes of Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, or Tobey Maguire for a Clone Saga Series?

First off, we think that even if a deal between Disney and Sony can be reached to use the names “Spider-Man” and “Peter Parker” in the series, this show won’t be set in the MCU. It’s just too complicated to coordinate with the existing MCU Spider-Man movies. All of which are still coming out in theaters and making money hand over fist. So no, not only do we not expect to see Tom Holland, we doubt they’ll cast any young Tom lookalikes.

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Currently, the Andrew Garfield Amazing Spider-Man universe is sitting there unused, and could make sense in this context. Could Sony coax Andrew Garfield to return for the right price for a small role? And could Sony start looking for some Andrew Garfield doppelgangers? Again, assuming they work out a deal where the names of Spider-Man and Peter Parker can be mentioned, of course.

Of All the Spider-Mans, Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker Should Be the Clone Template Sony Pictures

Finally, there’s the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man from Sam Raimi’s trilogy. He’d be the most interesting and best option, as he’s been Spider-Man for nearly 25 years now. Conceivably, a scientist could have gathered his blood from a battle, and used it to create several clones. All of who would now be of an adult age. This scenario would be the most interesting one by far. And Tobey would frankly be the easiest actor of the three to bring back in a bit part, as he’s not as booked and busy as Holland and Garfield. But none of this works unless Sony and Marvel can work out a deal to at least be able to mention the character in the series.

Nerdist’s Take: A Clone Saga Series Hinges On Establishing a Known Spider-Man in That Universe

A series based on the Spider-Man Clone Saga hinges on being able to establish a Spider-Man within the universe of the show. Otherwise, it’s just a generic sci-fi show about clones using names from Marvel Comics that carry no weight. Of course, they could always introduce a new Spider-Man variant we’ve never met before as that world’s Spidey. If the Spider-Verse movies have taught us anything, it’s that Peter Parkers exist across the Multiverse. But we don’t think that would work as well than having a clone based on a Peter Parker we already know and love. Here’s hoping that Sony, Prime Video, and Marvel get all their ducks in a row to make this work. Otherwise, we predict another Madame Web or Kraven style misfire.

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 Could a CLONE SAGA Series Use SPIDER-MAN Actor Lookalikes? appeared first on Nerdist.

BAG Ventures announces close of a $11.3M Fund I to invest in all things AI.

Airbnb is also launching new services such as meal delivery and laundry in select locations

For the sake of national security, it's a relief to learn that America.gov is not hallucinating to the point that it's penning lengthy poetry.

Before OpenAI launched its new AI agent, Dots, on Tuesday, Elon Musk's xAI had already acquired the domain name "dot.com," which now redirects to the Grok chatbot download page.

Researchers at Northeastern University found vehicles and their companion apps regularly shared detailed data with some of the largest tech companies.

EliseAI raises $350M, doubles valuation in a year.

The company says it won't draw on the new debt facilities this year, as it has already planned at least $25 billion in capital expenditures.

Quick Take

• Voiced by Andy Samberg, the Scarlet Spider is one of the many Marvel Spideys in Across the Spider-Verse. But who is this hoodie-wearing clone?

Few Marvel characters exemplify the ‘90s more than Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider. He was, in many ways, the epitome of comic book trends of the era. First, the Scarlet Spider was popularized in a major “status quo-shaking” Marvel Comics event. Second, he was an edgier version of an iconic hero. These were key ’90s comics ingredients. Nowadays, Scarlet Spider has made his big screen debut in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, voiced by Andy Samberg… and he might even be starring in his own Sony universe TV series on Prime Video, focusing on the Clone Saga comics. But who is Ben Reilly, the infamous alternate Spidey? And why were folks so excited to see him return? Here’s the lowdown on Peter Parker’s broody clone, the Scarlet Spider.

Marvel Comics Table of Contents; Jump To:

• The Scarlet Spider’s Groovy ’70s Marvel Comics Origins
• Scarlet Spider Returns in the ’90s, Following Comics Trends of Darker Doppelgängers
• Scarlet Spider Becomes Spider-Man and Ben’s Untimely Demise
• The Scarlet Spider’s Modern-Day Resurrection
• The Scarlet Spider Becomes a Movie Star in Across the Spider-Verse
• Ben Reilly Could Be Heading to a Prime Video TV Series

The Scarlet Spider’s Groovy ’70s Marvel Comics Origins

The roots of the Scarlet Spider didn’t actually begin in the ‘90s. They went back even further, to 1975. In that year’s Amazing Spider-Man #149, Peter Parker’s college professor Dr. Miles Warren, also known as the Jackal, created a fully grown version of Parker to destroy Spider-Man. Why did he hate Spidey so much? Well, it turned out Dr. Warren was a super creep. He was obsessed with his much younger student Gwen Stacy, whose death he blamed solely on Spider-Man. And he was a brilliant scientist who studied under none other than the High Evolutionary. That association always leads to trouble.

Marvel Comics

When Gwen died at the hands of the Green Goblin, a death Spider-Man could not prevent, Warren snapped. He developed an alternate persona to deal with his feelings of guilt—the Jackal. As the furry costumed Jackal, he cloned Gwen and Spider-Man, thus learning that the wallcrawler was his other student, Peter Parker. This clone had all of Peter’s memories and was designed to fight and kill his doppelgänger. However, he seemingly died in the very issue they introduced him in. And that would be the last we’d hear of this Spider-Man clone for nearly two decades. It was all meant by writer Gerry Conway as a one-off story, but it ended up creating Marvel Comics’ Scarlet Spider.

Scarlet Spider Returns in the ’90s, Following Comics Trends of Darker Doppelgängers Marvel Comics

In the early ‘90s, one of the biggest comic trends was replacing iconic heroes with darker, edgier versions of themselves. In 1992 Superman died, and one of his replacements was the evil Cyborg Superman. Batman’s back was broken, and then the ultra-violent Azrael wore the batsuit. At Marvel, someone remembered the clone from 1975 and had an idea. What if maybe the Spider-Clone didn’t die and had been living in secret for years? Even more tantalizing for Marvel, they teased readers with the notion that this character was actually the Peter Parker we’d been reading about for years, while the newly emerged “clone” was the real thing.

Marvel Comics

When Marvel brought back the Spider-Clone, they revealed that after his apparent death, he realized he was a mere copy of Peter Parker and not the original. He decided to leave New York and became a drifter wandering America. He bleached his hair blonde and took the name Ben Reilly. Ben after his deceased uncle Ben, and Reilly since it was his Aunt May’s maiden name. He continued his scientific studies, this time under Dr. Seward Trainer (yet another acolyte of the High Evolutionary). He suffered many tragedies during his exile, making him a darker and more bitter version of his (now happily married) genetic twin. But when he learned that his Aunt May was near death, he went back to New York, and revealed his existence to Peter.

Ben Reilly and Peter Parker first resented each other and had an uneasy relationship. There was a good deal of spider-on-spider violence. Eventually, Dr. Trainer performed blood tests on both heroes, only to determine that the Peter Parker fans had been reading about for 20 years at Marvel was the clone, and Ben Reilly was actually the first Peter Parker. Ben then decided to stay in New York City and fight crime under a new name—the Scarlet Spider. Sales soared for the Spider-Man titles during this time, and it seemingly encouraged Marvel editorial to keep the newly coined Clone Saga and Scarlet Spider going for as long as possible. And they did.

Scarlet Spider Becomes Spider-Man and Ben’s Untimely Demise Marvel Comics

In late 1995, Marvel decided that Peter Parker and MJ would retire to married life and start a family, and Scarlet Spider would take over as Spider-Man. He was “the real deal” after all. Scarlet Spider became the new friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, taking over all five Spider-Man ongoing books and getting a new costume. Although some fans felt betrayed that the Spidey they’d been following for years was a copy, Ben Reilly persisted. In fact, in the epic Marvel vs. DC crossover event that year, it was actually the Ben Reilly Spidey that fought DC’s heroes, not Peter.

Marvel Comics

Eventually, after more than two years, sales of the Spider-Man books (and comics overall) began to plummet. Marvel decided it was time to end The Clone Saga and get back to basics. It was revealed that a returned Norman Osborn/Green Goblin—who had at that point been dead for almost 25 years—had been behind everything. He planted fake evidence that Scarlet Spider was the real Peter Parker, as a way of tormenting Peter Parker himself. Ben Reilly died in battle with the Goblin and literally liquified. Thus proving he was the actual clone all along. At the time, people were mostly glad the story was finally over. It seemed no one would miss old Ben.

The Scarlet Spider’s Modern-Day Resurrection Marvel Comics

But as we know, nostalgia makes even the worst stories look better. Kids who grew up with The Clone Saga and the Scarlet Spider actually loved that event looking back. By the 2010s, these kids were now adults, and begged Marvel to bring back the Scarlet Spider. In 2015, Marvel finally did. In The Clone Conspiracy, Marvel revealed that the Jackal had collected the DNA of Ben Reilly from his death site and attempted to bring him back, memories and all, 26 times.

The 27th clone was stable and lived, but held traumatic memories of each painful death. Ben freed himself from the Jackal, and resumed a heroic career. At first, he took the name Anubis, after the Egyptian God of Death. Eventually, he took on the name and mantle of the Scarlet Spider once more. And thus, the Scarlet Spider returned to Marvel Comics. ‘90s nostalgia was in full swing. He was the hero of Las Vegas for a time before returning to New York City. Scarlet Spider’s last major storyline was Marvel Comics’ Dark Web, where he became entangled with Marvel’s other most famous clone, Madelyne Pryor, herself a disregarded genetic copy of the X-Man Jean Grey.

The Scarlet Spider Becomes a Movie Star in Across the Spider-Verse Sony Animation

With his appearance in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Ben Reilly’s Scarlet Spider finally made it to the big screen. He appeared in the ‘90s Spider-Man: The Animated Series a couple of times, right around the time of his comics heyday. But aside from showing up in the recent Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series, there were not many appearances by Scarlet Spider outside the comics. But with Across the Spider-Verse, that finally changed.

Sony Animation

In Across the Spider-Verse, Ben Reilly is used as a kind of comedic meta-commentary on the overly angsty Marvel comics of the ’90s. Ben is part of Spider-Man 2099’s squad sent to go after “fugitive spider” Miles Morales. He spends most of his screen time brooding and constantly commenting on his situation, giving voice to an old-school comics thought balloon. His look was very much like the art style of his co-creator, the late Tom Lyle. Will Scarlet-Spider switch sides in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, and choose to help Miles instead of hunting him? We’ll find out when the third chapter finally releases in 2027.

Ben Reilly Could Be Heading to a Prime Video TV Series

But that’s not all for the old Scarlet Spider. Reports reveal that Prime Video is putting together a Sony Universe TV series that revolves around the Clone Saga storyline from Marvel Comics. And you guessed it, this series will focus specifically on two Spider-Man clones, Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker. The Scarlet-Spider could soon arrive to the small screen.

Originally published June 1, 2023.

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 Who Is the Scarlet Spider? The SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Hero, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Quick Take

• Spider-Man’s infamous Clone Saga from the comics is being developed as a live-action series for Prime Video, using the characters Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker.
• The series is being developed by American Born Chinese creator Kelvin Yu, and will focus on the struggle of the two spider-powered clones grappling with their true identities as genetic copies.
• Nerdist’s take: We’re not quite sure how a show about Spider-Man clones can work without using Spider-Man, or even a Spider-Man we’re already familiar with.

Spider-Noir may have been canceled rather abruptly, but that doesn’t mean Sony is done developing live-action series based on the Spider-Man IP. According to a report coming from Deadline, Sony and Prime Video are in the early stage of creating a series based on one of the most controversial (and often hated) Spider-Man comic book stories of all time: the Clone Saga. This storyline literally ran for two years in the comics back in the mid-’90s, and saw Peter Parker replaced as Spider-Man by his own clone, Ben Reilly. Another clone, Kaine Parker, also first appears in this story. Fans don’t view it as a high point for Spidey as a character, but apparently, Sony sees opportunity in this storyline.

Marvel Comics

The new series is being written and developed by written by American Born Chinese creator Kelvin Yu. Apparently, the series would follow Ben and Kaine “as they grapple with their newly discovered identities as clones while also facing other clones.” One of those clones could be Spidercide, an actual evil clone of Peter Parker. Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics in the 2000s also adapted the Clone Saga, which introduced a female clone of Spider-Man, which is something the series could also adapt.

The seeds of the Clone Saga go back to the mid-’70s. In a two part story, the villainous Jackal cloned Spider-Man, complete with memories and all of his powers. That clone seemingly died at the end of that story. But two decades later, Marvel revealed he didn’t die, and simply went into hiding. He dyed his hair blonde, and changed his name to Ben Reilly. He took on a new superheroic identity, the Scarlet Spider. This name comes from his late Uncle Ben, and his Aunt May’s maiden name of Reilly. The Clone Saga also introduced a darker Peter clone named Kaine Parker.

Marvel Comics

Eventually, Marvel Comics revealed he, Ben Reilly, was the true Peter Parker, and the Spidey fans had been reading about for two decades (who married MJ) was the clone. Ben officially took over as Spider-Man. And fans hated it. Marvel reversed its decision in 1996, and revealed that the Peter Parker of the past two decades was the true Spider-Man after all, and Ben Reilly died. But, even the most hated elements of ’90s comics find themselves reevaluated over time. In recent years, Ben Reilly has returned, and he even appeared in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in a small role.

Marvel Comics Nerdist’s Take: We Think Making a Spider-Man Clone Saga Without Using Spider-Man Will Be a Very Tall Order

We can’t help but wonder what this means for the series. If these are two clones of Peter Parker, shouldn’t they look exactly like Tom Holland? Or, if it takes place in the Andrew Garfield universe, shouldn’t they look like him? How much impact can the show have if they are clones of a Peter Parker we’ve never met before? We know that the Sony live-action shows can’t actually use the name “Spider-Man.” So we’d bet this show is called Scarlet Spider. But adapting a saga about Peter Parker’s clones without being able to use Peter Parker himself? This seems like a fool’s errand. But hey, people really loved Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was partially based on a very hated Spidey storyline. Maybe this despised storyline can find redemption in live-action too.

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 Sony Developing a Series Based on Spider-Man’s Clone Saga appeared first on Nerdist.

OpenAI is building out the pieces of an alternative to the traditional app store model, turning ChatGPT into a place where software can be discovered and used by people and AI agents alike.

Quick Take

• The larger screen for SCREENX versions of the Avengers: Doomsday trailer suggests that Hawkeye’s Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) will appear in some capacity.
• A scene between Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) in the trailer appears to take place in Kate Bishops’s apartment.
• Nerdist’s take: We think this is yet another indication that the Young Avengers/Champions have a big role to play in the finale of the Multiverse Saga.

Even though it has a massive cast already, Avengers: Doomsday still has even more cast members yet to be revealed. At least according to the Russo brothers. We’re pretty certain that Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are returning as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively. And all signs point to those “Latverian Witches” being well-known MCU actors as well. But thanks to Comic Book, we’ve learned that the SCREENX trailer for Doomsday may have confirmed one more. The trailer shows more footage to the sides of the frame than usual. And eagle-eyed viewers have seemingly confirmed that one scene takes place in the apartment of another unannounced character — Kate Bishop/Hawkeye, played by Hailee Steinfeld.

Marvel Television

The scene in question is when Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) hugs his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) during an emotional moment. But it appears that scene takes place in Kate Bishop’s apartment, last seen in Hawkeye. So what is Cassie doing there? Well, for those of you who saw The Marvels, the answer is right there. In one of the post-credits for that film, we see Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel appearing at Kate Bishop’s place. She’s there to recruit her into a new team. She mentions that “Ant-Man has a daughter,” who is, of course, Cassie. The assumption here is that Kamala and Kate go off to California to recruit Cassie into forming the Young Avengers. Or perhaps the Champions, another team of young Marvel heroes.

Nerdist’s Take: The Inclusion of Kate Bishop Suggests a Role for the Young Avengers/Champions in Doomsday and/or Secret Wars

So does this mean we’re seeing not only Cassie and Kate, but also Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan in Doomsday? Well, if we do, we suspect it’s a cameo, or just a post-credits tag leading to Avengers: Secret Wars. Rumors have been going around about a Champions Special Presentation in its early stages at Disney+. This could also be setting them up for that. For years, MCU projects have been introducing Young Avengers/Champions heroes in different projects, with the most recent ones being Wiccan in Agatha All Along, and soon, Speed in VisionQuest. We have a feeling they’ll have a big role to play in Battleworld, but if the SCREEENX trailer is to be believed, we may seem as early as Doomsday. Only a few months left until we know for sure.

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 DOOMSDAY SCREENX Trailer Seems to Confirm Kate Bishop/Hawkeye appeared first on Nerdist.

The new round is anticipated to be the company's last before its delayed 2027 public debut.

Quick Take

• Dungeon Crawler World: Earth has hundreds, maybe even thousands of playable races to choose from. Some of these races are made up exclusively for the crawl, but many are real races from across the galaxy.
• The books reveal only a few of the potentially limitless race options for Crawlers.
• Nerdist’s Take: …but there’s still enough to rank some and snub others! Sorry Carl, your still-looks-human-Primal a** ain’t making the cut.

Dungeon Crawler Carl has taken the world by storm in a way that rarely if ever happens with books that don’t have some kind of screen adaptation. Yes, there is a Dungeon Crawler Carl show happening eventually but, in the meantime, there’s still an infinite amount to talk about with the books. For example, at the beginning of book two, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, Carl and Donut are faced with race selection at the start of the third floor. Dungeon Crawler World: Earth offers a LOT of races to choose from, and we only know a few. BUT, out of what we know, what are the best races in Dungeon Crawler Carl? Let’s rank the best ones right now!

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7 LitRPGs to Read If You Loved DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL 10. Caprid

A race both inside the dungeon and out, Caprids are bipedal creatures that most closely resemble Earth goats. While the race doesn’t share a collective mind, they are a herd, which often means they move as one anyway in many scenarios. The IRL Caprids (aka “The Plenty”) are a powerful empire, known for having invented the tunneling system that allows shows like Dungeon Crawler World to air all across the universe. I’m putting them on the list because I love goats. This is the beginning and end of my justification. Things aren’t getting more objective from here, fair warning.

9. Amazonian

Oh Hekla, we hardly knew ye—or your selected race! But, in the immortal words of Steven Universe, “All I wanna do is see you turn into a giant woman (a giant woman!)” Amazonians are much taller than humans and resemble professional body-builders. While we can only speculate on the stat buffs the Amazonian race bestows, it’s a likely bet that the race comes with significant increases for both Strength and Constitution.

Ace Books 8. Tigran

Okay. I know, I know—the furry jokes are right there. Donut’s made them. Yes, my mental image of Tigran Crawler Daniel Bautista is basically just a Khajiit, a la Skyrim. Still—he’s a f*cking tiger guy! That’s so cool!

7. Changeling

Changelings can switch races to any race they’ve physically touched in the past, with a few caveats. Once shifted, the Changeling in question inherits abilities from the race they’ve transformed into. Most Changelings have total control over this power. Mordecai… doesn’t. But that’s his problem. The most powerful Changelings can shift independent body parts—like giving themselves the wings of a Skyfowl, the fists of an Igneous, and the legs and torso of a Sai. You… probably wouldn’t be able to fly being that heavy, but you would look very impressive!

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Everything You Need to Know About DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL 6. Frost Maiden

The Frost Maiden race is unsurprisingly ice magic-centric. For Crawlers who choose it, they’ll be transformed into a blue-skinned, fairy-like creature with flight capabilities. A great choice for older Crawlers, as we see with Elle McGibbons, the beloved and vulgar ninety-nine-year old woman Carl and Donut meet on the very first floor. Demented as all get out and coming down with a bad case of “natural causes,” choosing the Frost Maiden race gives Elle a new lease on life. Her brain function is completely restored, and ninety-nine never looked so good. Now, whose d**k does she have to suck to get a drink around here?

5. Igneous

Quiet but courageous Crawler Chris Andrews selects this race when he hits the third floor. The Igneous are a towering humanoid race comprised of rocks and lava. They’re walking heaters than can fire lava out of their bodies. The Igneous race can also meld entirely with the earth, moving around unseen underneath the surface, which makes them excellent forward scouts as well as tanks in their own right.

4. Obsidian Butterfly

Obsidian Butterflies are bada**. Gaunt and skull-faced, the Obsidian Butterflies almost look mummified—with that aspect only growing more intense as they level up. They’re wasting and thin, but their four wings are beautiful. They’re ethereal, passing through everyone and everything harmlessly. However, this is often how Obsidian Butterflies cast buffs on their allies, who briefly glow due to the healing/buff.

An Obsidian Butterfly’s wings are Monarch-like, with mixing vivid colors of orange, yellow, red, white, and black. Their wingspan is twelve feet. On the 6th floor, Crawlers who have chosen this race are faced with a choice between evolutionary lines. They must decide between solidifying their wings and gaining true flight, or leave the wings as they are—as a vessel for healing.

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Jeff Hays Joins DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL TV Series as Princess Donut 3. Changbi Demon

Possibly the most terrifying Crawler race in Dungeon Crawler Carl, Changbi Demons are a force to be reckoned with. When Li Na selects the race on the third floor, she is made taller and thinner. Her skin turns deathly pale, and her brow ridge becomes defined. Two short black horns push up through her hair. Her mouth is stretched to twice the size it once was. She looks scary as f*ck, and her race abilities match. Changbi Demons cause excruciating pain and poisoning whenever they touch someone, including allies. Changbi Demons are immune to acid attacks, can prevent people from healing, and can turn into smoke at will. You do NOT want to piss off a Changbi Demon.

2. Doppelgänger

“If she’s 90% flesh and 10% metal, she can make herself to look like a regular, unarmored human, but what you perceive as her bikini, or her feet, or her hands, can really be the material from the helmet. As long as it’s 10%, and it’s continuous. You can’t break up the item. Also, there’s some elasticity issues with certain enchanted materials, plus certain limits still exist, like she’s not allowed to grow four arms so she can wear forty rings, but you get the idea.” —Mordecai

Similar to the Changeling race, but with a twist. While Changelings can legitimately transform into another race, adopting their various strengths and weaknesses, and at least some of their skillset, Doppelgängers are a bit more complicated. Doppelgängers don’t get the racial properties of the species they portray—because they’re not really turning into said species, they just look like them.

Initially, you might think, “Oh, okay, so… they’re good for disguise, I guess?” That’s what I initially thought too, but no no no. Similar to what Mordecai says, a doppelgänger can be wearing an entire suit of armor, but be made to look like they’re wearing almost nothing at all. It’s unsurprising to learn that Strength and Constitution are the innate proficiencies of this race. Katia, for instance, can transform herself into whatever she wants, so long as she can correctly craft and maintain the form. She was an art professor before the Crawl, so she picks this up pretty quickly.

Only downside? It hurts to change. Katia doesn’t talk about it much, which is probably not a good sign.

1. Cat

“I choose cat. Next.” —Princess Donut

What, did you think it would be something else? As a card-carrying member of the Society for the Eradication of Cocker Spaniels, this was always going to be #1. Choosing any other race would be an outrage.

As the Dungeon Crawler Carl universe continues to expand, there will be even more to discuss, whether it’s races, classes, ships, or just the fact that Carl often has the emotional intelligence of a poorly-baked brick. I can’t wait to see the world open up even more, almost as much as I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, The Beautiful Place. While we wait, there’s the graphic novel retelling of the series, as well as a forthcoming canon side story about Florin, the Crocodilian. Much like with Dungeon Crawler World in canon, our universe can’t get enough of Dungeon Crawler Carl.

Jess Harshbarger writes about books, movies, TV, games, comics, and all things nerdy for Nerdist.

The post The Best DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL Crawler Races, Ranked appeared first on Nerdist.

Quick Take

• You can now watch the iconic dark fantasy short, The Traveler & The Troll.
• This incredible creation features a 6-foot-tall puppet and the talented work of Erika Ishii.
• We love the way this short takes us back to the days of iconic ’80s fantasy movies.

Do you have nine minutes to feel totally transported? We bet that you do. So we have the perfect offering for you—a brilliant short movie that captures the best of the ’80s fantasy genre, feels steeped in emotion and artistry, and will have you laughing, crying, and on the edge of your seat. C’mon, you have nine minutes for that. So press play on The Traveler & The Troll and go on your own fantastical quest, right from your living room or wherever you are. You won’t be sorry you did.

There’s just something to the fantasy movies of days gone by. ’80s movies have a real heart to them, a real depth. Humor, darkness, fear, and hope layer one onto the next in a way that feels rarer and rarer in our day and age. There’s a certain level of thought you can feel throughout those films.

But The Traveler & The Troll manages to perfectly tap into the vibes of those halcyon cinema days. The description for the fantasy short shares, “A Traveler stops to rest in a clearing of a long haunted forest. They soon learn they are not alone and have stumbled upon the lair of a terrifying troll. To survive the night. Much to the Troll’s surprise, the Traveler is more of an adversary than the Troll ever could have expected.”

Adam Murray

As we mused in a previous write-up, “It’s an excellent-sounding tale, but whatever you’re envisioning, the actual short is even better than that. In nine glorious minutes, it works its practical magic on you. The Traveler & The Troll immediately casts its spell deftly, taking viewers into a fully formed realm that feels both at once real and fabulously magical, and introducing you to its mythical troll and epic traveler. But, of course, both are more than meets the eye. And this short manages to be both enthralling, humorous, and emotional all in one go. We love its quick wit and banter, and star Erika Ishii very much delivers the true gravitas we want to see in our fantasy heroes in such a short piece.”

Naturally, then there’s the true star, THE TROLL PUPPET, a creation you really have to see to believe. But his greatness lies in the fact that he is a work of true art, an amalgamation of human craft resulting in unbelievable results.

Adam Murray

The creators of The Traveler & The Troll share, “The film was proudly shot in Los Angeles, at Laurel Canyon Stages, and features fantastic performances, incredible cinematography, along with fully practical special FX, original puppets, including a six-foot-tall troll, stop-motion and 2D animation, real sets, prosthetics, slime, and zero AI.” The real slime also truly won us over. We jest, but the movie is really just so beautiful.

Adam Murray

And we’re not the only ones who think so. Since its arrival on the scene, The Traveler & The Troll has won MANY awards. And, we mean, just look at it, this is one short that would be very hard to compete with. A relase notes:

The multi-award winning short film ‘The Traveler & The Troll’ is making its online premiere after an impressive two year festival run.

‘The Traveler & The Troll’ is a Horror-Fantasy Comedy, starring Erika Ishii (Dropout, Ghosts of Yotei) as a weary adventurer who stops to rest in a haunted forest, where they’re terrorized by a Troll, voiced by performer Dave Child (See You Next Christmas, Townies). The Traveler must answer the Troll’s three riddles to survive the night, but it turns out the Troll might have underestimated his prey.

After premiering at the Overlook Film Festival in 2025 and taking home the Audience Award for Best Short Film, the film was the official selection of over twenty different film festivals, including: Palm Springs International ShortFest, Fantasia, FilmQuest, Soho Horror, Chattanooga Film Fest, Philadelphia Film Festival, Fog Fest, San Diego Comic-Con, and won Best Horror Comedy at Midsummer Scream, Best Genre Short at Baton Rouge Underground, Best Film at Warped Witch, and Best Horror Comedy at HollyShorts Comedy Festival.

‘The Traveler & The Troll’ was written, directed, edited, and produced by Adam Murray and was majority funded through Kickstarter.

The film stars Erika Ishii, Dave Child, and puppeteers Brittaney Talbot and Chelsea Pickens Tonick

A generational run for a generational troll. And, as we said, if you want to see what all those folks at the film festivals saw, now you can! Just press that play button and be transported into a realm we can only dream of in reality.

Now that we’ve brough it up, we really feel like we have to watch it again. But honestly, we would love to see the further adventures of The Traveler and the Troll. It can’t really end there, can it? You can learn more about the project here.

Editorial Note: Adam Murray is employed by Legendary Digital Networks, of which Nerdist is a subsidiary.

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 Watch THE TRAVELER & THE TROLL Short: It has a SIX-FOOT Puppet appeared first on Nerdist.

Quick Take

• The first Game of Thrones movie, Aegon’s Conquest, will fly into theaters in the summer of 2029.
• The release date for Aegon’s Conquest is much farther away than we expected.
• Nerdist Take: HBO’s shows didn’t need three years to produce many more hours of television, so why does a single movie need three years?

HBO viewers watched House Targaryen try to reclaim the Iron Throne on Game of Thrones. They have watched those dragon lords fight among themselves to sit on their family’s famous chair on House of the Dragon. But Westeros fans will also get to see how that iconic seat was created in a new kind of adventure. Aegon the Conqueror, the legendary ruler who brought fire and blood to the Realm, is getting his very own Game of Thrones movie. His story will serve as the franchise’s first foray to the big screen. And now we know when he and his two sister-wives will fly into theaters. It won’t be anytime soon. Aegon’s Conquest will try to conquer the world of cinema in the summer of 2029.

HBO/IGN

Variety reports Aegon’s Conquest will premiere on June 6, 2029. That is much later than we expected. A big-screen take on Aegon’s conquest of Westeros has been in development for many years. The version we’re going to see, Owen Harris (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms) directing a script by Beau Willimon (Andor), has been in the works since at least March of 2026.

Could the pending merger with Paramount (which is still not finalized) be the reason the Game of Thrones movie is still almost three years away? Absolutely. It’s also why we might never see it. But it could also be that Aegon’s Conquest will really take that much time to complete. Game of Thrones‘ final season was only six episodes long but took two years to make, in large part because of the amount of time needed (55 days) just to film “The Long Night.” Aegon’s Conquest will likely include the infamous Field of Fire along with other battles. His story will also include plenty of sequences with dragons. Forget all the other CGI and visual effects the movie will need. The dragons alone will lengthen the amount of time post-production will require.

HBO/IGN

Still, House of the Dragon season three had plenty of dragons. It also began and ended with huge battle sequences, and those eight hours of TV “only” took two years. So even if Aegon’s Conquest, with its one script and one director, runs three hours, three years is a long time.

If the Game of Thrones movie is good, it won’t matter. We just won’t find out if that’s the case for a long time.

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 GAME OF THRONES Movie AEGON’S CONQUEST Sets Summer 2029 Release appeared first on Nerdist.

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