The Nerdist

Join us as we explain everything you need to know from this latest trailer for Dune Part 3! Our resident Dune-atic Matt Caron breaks down the who’s who of the Dune universe and the conspiracy plot against Paul Atreides. Plus, we caught some details that may have major implications of the Dune franchise!

Watch our breakdown for the first trailer!

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

The post Dune Part 3’s New Trailer Has Some Shocking Reveals! appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Stranger Things season 5 did not receive any of the major Emmy Awards nominations.
• While some may consider this a snub, overall audience reviews and critiques point to it being a justified vote.

Stranger Things was no doubt a cultural phenomenon. Seasons 4 and 5 both appeared on Netflix’s ‘Top 10 Shows of All Time’ list. Despite its popularity, season 5 was not an audience favorite. The Popcornmeter is full of fans complaining about unkillable main characters, bad CGI, and trope-y, cliched writing.

If it was for these reasons is unclear, but voters excluded the season from the Emmy nominations for Best Drama. The series’s actors got nothing in their categories, either.

Netflix

The season follows the characters from the previous four seasons as they band together and try to find and defeat Vecna, the primary antagonist. The battle they fight is both physical and mental. It also includes a lot of callbacks and parallels to prior seasons, a detail that had mixed reviews from fans.

After four relatively well-received seasons, some fans thought season five was a bit of a letdown. The season was a hot topic on social media when it came out. Plenty of critical reviews yielded high like counts and concurring comments.

@bareeqreads

Worst season of all time. You cannot convince me otherwise. #strangerthings #strangerthingss5

♬ original sound – bareeqreads

After 10 years of devotion to the show, fans were able to watch the finale in theaters on December 31, 2025. Immediately, though, there was backlash from devoted fans who easily found plot holes during the final battle.

@mattsmultiverse

What Was That #strangerthings #strangerthings5 #strangerthingsseason5 #filmtok #movietok

♬ Stranger Things – Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein

For the first time since the series came out, it did not receive a nomination for Best Drama this year. It seems the Emmys voters may have shared the fans’ critiques. They excluded the show from the top categories, limiting it to lower, more specific ones. Stranger Things‘ fifth season appears under “Outstanding Stunt Coordination for Drama” and “Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie.” Overall, it appears in seven categories. While some fans may think this is a snub, others certainly find it just.

The post STRANGER THINGS Excluded from Best Drama and Acting Emmys appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Obsidian Entertainment, the original studio that developed Fallout: New Vegas in 2010, has been put in charge of making the next Fallout game.
• This comes amid the major restructuring at Xbox, which will include thousands of layoffs and closing several studios.
• Microsoft has canceled other projects on Obsidian’s docket, including a follow-up to Avowed, which underperformed.

The world of Xbox was shaken Tuesday with the announcement of a massive “restructuring” by the company’s new CEO Asha Sharma. This will result in over 2,000 layoffs in the next year and the closure or selling off of several subsidiary studios. But on a granular level, the studios that will stick around found themselves shifted to new projects. One of those is Obsidian Entertainment, who in addition to laying off a quarter of its workforce, will, according to Bloomberg, take over development of the next Fallout game.

Microsoft has taken Obsidian off of planned sequel to the 2025 roleplaying game Avowed along with other unannounced projects. Obsidian’s Josh Sawyer, the studio’s design director, will take over Fallout‘s next installment. While Bethesda owns the rights to Fallout and have produced most of the games since obtaining the IP, they haven’t made all of them. The last Fallout game Bethesda didn’t develop was 2010’s Fallout: New Vegas. You know who did develop it? Obsidian Entertainment, directed by Josh Sawyer. And everyone loves that game!

Obsidian/Bethesda

Fallout, hot off the success of the Prime Video series, remains one of Xbox’s biggest properties. But, even so, the most recent game to come out was 2018’s Fallout 76. Seeing as New Vegas featured prominently in season two of the series, and it remains one of the most beloved in the franchise, putting Sawyer and Obsidian in charge is a smart choice. Even if borne out of draconian corporate cuts.

RELATED ARTICLE

Xbox Laying Off 20% of Workforce, Divesting of 5 Studios

Obsidian’s previous games include the action role-playing series The Outer Worlds and fantasy ARPG Avowed. Both Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 released in 2025 and, despite mostly positive reviews, failed to meet Xbox Game Studios’ sales goals. Still, the studio was working apace on an Avowed sequel. Bloomberg reports, “it was on track to be announced within the next year. But in the end, it did not fit into Sharma’s overall strategy, according to people familiar with the game’s development.”

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

The post FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS Studio Will Tackle Next FALLOUT Game appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• A Kickstarter trailer for Dinosaurs of the Wild West has hit the internet.
• It comes from Luke Starke, the director of dino horror/war movie Primitive War.
• The series would depict a world where humans and dinos coexist.

Does anyone remember that movie Cowboys and Aliens? Ok, that one wasn’t terribly memorable. But we still like the idea of gunslingers in the Old West mixing it up with elements that are a little bit out of their purview. Which is why the concept for the series Dinosaurs of the Wild West has us positively giddy. This new project from director Luke Sparke imagines a world where dinosaurs didn’t go extinct, and mankind evolved alongside them. And in the era of saloons and ghost towns, cowboys learned to ride them. Yes, even the big ones. You can help make Dinosaurs of the Wild West a reality via Kickstarter, and you can watch a special trailer right for it right here:

According to the official synopsis, “The year is 1879, humans and dinosaurs have evolved together. But as the frontier grows stronger, so does the threat of extinction. But this time, it won’t be natural.” Dinosaurs of the Wild West comes from the same creative team behind the cult dino-horror film Primitive War. The official Kickstarter page describes this as “A bold new vision of the Old West, where towering beasts power civilization, and the fight for the future will decide whether they survive.” In this world, giant Brontosaurs haul entire towns, while cowboys ride Raptors into battle, as flying predators rule the skies.” This sounds like an ’80s/’90s toyline come to life, and we’re very here for it.

Kickstarter/Sparke Films

We also have a description for the potential first episode of Dinosaurs of the Wild West below:

When a relentless bounty hunter crosses paths with a frontier lawman, they uncover a conspiracy that reaches far beyond a single town… A conspiracy that could end the age of dinosaurs forever. Hunted by outlaws. Outmatched by industry. Out of time. They must decide: Fight for the world they know… or watch it vanish.

To make sure Dinosaurs of the Wild West becomes a reality, head on over to its official Kickstarter page.

The post DINOSAURS OF THE WILD WEST Trailer Unites Cowboys and Dinos appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• J.K. Simmons confirms he will not appear as J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
• Simmons had played the character in the three Sam Raimi films plus No Way Home.
• The actor said “Not in it, dude.”

There are truly no louder haters than J. Jonah Jameson, the Daily Bugle editor-in-chief. One of Spider-Man’s antagonists, Jameson makes it his life’s mission in every single Spider-Man iteration to expose his identity and make him out to be a bad guy.

J.K. Simmons appeared as the notorious newspaperman in Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man starting 2002. He was also the face of The Daily Bugle web series promoting Spider-Man: No Way Home. After he made a cameo in No Way Home when multiple Spider-Man universes collided, fans were hoping they might see him in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. However, he has now officially confirmed that he will not appear in the movie in an interview with ComicBook.

“Not in it, dude. I don’t know who on the internet decided that that was fact, but I ain’t in it.”

Marvel Studios/Sony

Despite audience protest, it does make sense that he will not be returning. He is working on a one-season crime show, The Westies, which started filming around the same time as Brand New Day. With the new movie’s plot, it doesn’t seem that the Daily Bugle side of Peter’s life will be the main focus.

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man does seem here to stay. Holland has been publicly discussing some ideas he has for the future of his role in the MCU. One of these would be including Miles Morales as Peter’s mentee, similar to the relationship developed in Into the Spider-Verse.

There are many more details yet to be uncovered about the upcoming movie. From Sadie Sink’s unconfirmed role to how Spider-Man will interact with the Hulk, the Punisher, and his former friends, we are still in the dark. Unfortunately, though, one mystery can be considered solved, and we’ll have to say goodbye to the sinister J. Jonah Jameson for now.

The post J.K. Simmons Confirms He Won’t Return in SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Widow’s Bay earned 19 Primetime Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series.
• Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, Dale Dickey, and Stephen Root all received acting nominations.
• Pluribus and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms also got nominations for Best Drama Series.

The 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Award nominations have been revealed, and there are plenty of noms for some nerdy genre favorites this year. Not quite as many as last year, when Severance, Andor, and The Last of Us got a metric ton of nominations, but still way more than in years past. Widow’s Bay, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and Pluribus received many nominations, and all have a fair shot at winning. And there were some surprises we didn’t see coming as well, and as always, there were some major snubs. Past Emmy winners Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller announced the nominations.

HBO/Apple TV

The winner of last year’s Best Drama Series, the medical drama The Pitt, once again leads all nominees, with 25 total. This is followed by Hacks in the comedy category with 24. But Widow’s Bay, the quirky supernatural comedy series from Apple TV+, came in third, with 19 nominations. Not bad for a freshman genre series. It garnered nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series, as well as for Matthew Rhys (Lead Actor), Stephen Root (Supporting Actor), Dale Dickey and Kate O’Flynn (Supporting Actress), and Hamish Linklater and Betty Gilpin (Guest Actors). Also, Hiro Murai and Katie Dippold received directing nominations for the pilot “Welcome to Widow’s Bay!”

Apple TV

Apple TV’s other genre show with several nominations is the sci-fi hit Pluribus, coming in at 18. In the major categories, it received Best Drama Series, Best Supporting Actress (Karolina Wydra), Best Lead Actress (Rhea Seehorn), and Best Supporting Actor (Carlos-Manuel Vesga). Turning to Westeros, HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms didn’t get any acting nominations, which is a bummer, but it did receive a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. So that’s not exactly nothing. Prime Video’s fan-favorite Fallout received 10 nominations, but none in the major categories. Not even for the excellent Walton Goggins.

Horror fans got some love as well, as Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story received nominations for its lead performers, Charlie Hunnam and Laurie Metcalf. That series was often tasteless, but the acting was top-notch. For its final season, Stranger Things received 7 technical nominations, but nothing in the major categories. Netflix’s spooky comedy megahit Wednesday received 6 nominations, but again, nothing in the major categories. And It: Welcome to Derry only received two technical nominations. Which is a shame.

Marvel Studios

A few comic book shows received nominations in technical categories too, but that’s pretty much it. The Boys got 7 nominations for its final season, but none in the major categories. No, not even for Antony Starr as Homelander. Which just feels wrong, no matter how you felt about the last season. However, Yahya Abdul-Mateen got a nom for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Wonder Man. And Spider-Noir received several nods in the technical categories. Will any of these nerdy shows win? We think Widow’s Bay has an excellent shot. We’ll have to wait and see when they hand out the awards on Monday, September 14, on NBC. For the full list of this year’s Emmy nominations, head on over to Deadline.

The post 2026 Emmy Noms Honor Genre Hits WIDOW’S BAY, PLURIBUS, and More appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• We’re looking at Apocalypse’s biggest moments in X-Men comics history.
• Apocalypse is the main villain of X-Men ’97 season two.
• His is one of the most complicated and weirdest storylines in Marvel Comics.

The villains in the X-Men comics are some of the most colorful and interesting in Marvel’s long history. Some have proven to have real staying power, while others were very “of their time.” The first 20-ish years gave readers Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the Hellfire Club, anti-Mutant hate groups and their Sentinels, and alien threats like the Brood. By the mid-’80s, with Chris Claremont writing the main series for over a decade, things began to change, with more and more evil Mutants of varying power levels. Of these, the first and arguably most important is the ancient Mutant En Sabah Nur, known the world over as Apocalypse.

Marvel Animation

Because Mr. Nur is the main baddie in season two of X-Men ’97, we thought we’d walk you through the most important events in his wild and wacky history from the pages of Marvel Comics.

X-Factor

Apocalypse became a major fixture of the nascent X-Factor comics in 1986. That series took the original five X-Men (Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Angel, and the newly resurrected Marvel Girl) and made them a government-sponsored Mutant-policing force. Original writer Bob Layton introduced baddies called the Alliance of Evil who had a shady and unseen benefactor for the first few issues. After issue number five, Layton left the series. Editor Bob Harras put longtime Marvel creative Louise Simonson on X-Factor and charged her with giving X-Factor a villain worthy of the original X-team. Someone up there with Magneto in heft and aura. Thus, Apocalypse was properly born.

Marvel

Apocalypse is the “First Mutant,” an extrapolation of Magneto’s belief that Homo superior are the destined rulers of Earth. Apocalypse believes not only are Mutants the be-all, end-all, he believes fundamentally in Charles Darwin and survival of the fittest. For Mutants, or anyone, to live, they must earn that right. Fighting to the death, etc.

His primary Mutant ability is self-atomic manipulation, meaning he has total control over every atom in his body. He can therefore reshape, rewrite, and retool his physiognomy at will. And what a will it is. Over the years, Apocalypse has also had his powers enhanced through various external forces, including Celestials and techno-organic viruses. And speaking of external, Apocalypse is one of the Mutant subspecies called Externals. Externals are all but immortal, as Apocalypse can self-resurrect after dying.

The Horsemen

To continue Simonson’s Biblical reference with Apocalypse, in X-Factor #15, she and her husband, artist Walt Simonson, gave Apocalypse his Four Horsemen. These four individuals (many different ones over the years) are Mutants whom Apocalypse imbues with a massive power boost and form of genetic brainwashing. The Horsemen take on the embodiments of War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death.

Marvel Comics

When we first meet the Horsemen in X-Factor, Apocalypse only has three. Mutant soldier Abraham Kieros, who creates massive seismic waves when he claps, becomes War. Autumn Rolfson, whose power causes things to decay, becomes Famine. Morlock Plague, whose powers can give people illness, naturally became the Horseman Pestilence. But who, then, would assay the role of Death? This is perhaps one of Apocalypse’s most infamous acts. He chooses Warren Worthington III, aka Angel, one of the very first X-Men and a founding member of X-Factor. At the time, Warren was at his lowest point. Following an injury incurred during battle, Warren’s friend Cameron Hodge, secretly an anti-Mutant activist, arranged to have Warren’s wings amputated.

This is when Apocalypse entered to pick up the pieces of Warren’s life. Rewriting his genetics and bestowing him with techno-organic wings, Apocalypse turned Angel into Archangel, the embodiment of Death itself. Eventually Warren would regain his wits and leave Apocalypse’s thrall. However, he also didn’t return to X-Factor right away, instead embarking on a mission to find and murder his former friend Hodge. For the rest of his life, Warren would have to contend with his latent murderous intent thanks to Apocalypse’s influence.

Marvel Comics

At one point during all of this, Apocalypse also comes into conflict with the High Evolutionary. The H.E. wants to rid Earth of all beings that would thwart the evolutionary process. Apocalypse sees this as a direct opposition to his own plans and X-Factor has to watch as two big ol’ baddies fight.

X-Cutioner’s Song

While kicking around as X-Factor’s main antagonist for years, the character eventually (seemingly) died in X-Factor #68. But, the character was way too popular to be gone long. Within a year, Apocalypse returned as part of the crossover event story “X-Cutioner’s Song.” This title—which crossed over all four X titles. As with just about everything X-Men related in the 1990s, this 12-part story was ridiculously complicated. Essentially, it involves an assassination attempt on Professor X which appears to be the work of Cable, founder of X-Force and former headmaster of the New Mutants.

Marvel Comics

This pits the X-Men and X-Factor against X-Force. In the midst of this, Mister Sinister kidnaps Scott Summers and Jean Grey, but leaves clues which point to Apocalypse and his Horsemen. Yes, Apocalypse is still alive. The messiness of this plot goes off the rails and we eventually learn that the culprit isn’t Cable at all but is Stryfe, Cable’s clone and the head of the Mutant Liberation Front. Like Cable, Stryfe is militant about Mutant autonomy. Unlike Cable, Stryfe wants to wipe out everyone and anyone along the way.

So you’d think Apocalypse would be on board with this. Not so. Weirdly, at least for this story arc, Apocalypse isn’t quite the all-out villain he usually is. He’s not a “good” guy by any means, but he ultimately saves Professor X who is infected by the TO virus.

The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix

In a lot of ways, the ’90s X-Men run is all about preventing the future, ensuring the future, and circumventing the future. Apocalypse serves as one prong of a pentagon of characters all embroiled in this. Mister Sinister attempts to create a living weapon to kill Apocalypse. This is, of course, Nathan Summers, the son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor (whom we have learned was a clone of Jean Grey). Sinister infects Baby Nathan with the techno organic virus and so Cyclops and Jean send him to the future.

Marvel Comics

In the miniseries “The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix,” the pair head to the far future where Apocalypse rules supreme. His group, Clan Akkaba, go up against Clan Askani, whose leader is Mother Askani, the very old version of Rachel Summers. Rachel Summers is Scott and Jean’s daughter from the “Days of Future Past” timeline who ends up in the past in the main timeline for comic book reasons. She has raised Nathan into his youth.

By this point, Apocalypse has been enfeebled and has attempted to clone Nathan Summers and put his consciousness into it. However, the real Nathan manages to kill Apocalypse. Probably forever…

The Rise of Apocalypse

In the miniseries, “The Rise of Apocalypse,” we learn the history of En Sabah Nur. He was a baby foundling raised by a tribe of Nomads. The tribe’s leader, Baal, raised young Nur to believe in survival of the fittest. At the time, Egypt was under the control of the Pharoah Rama-Tut. It turns out, Rama-Tut was actually the time travelling villain, Kang the Conqueror. Kang’s ultimate goal was to recruit Nur to be his successor, knowing that in the future, Nur would become Apocalypse.

Marvel Comics

However, Rama-Tut badly underestimates Nur. The Pharoah destroys Nur’s tribe and the young Mutant wants revenge. He travels to Rama-Tut’s city pretending to be a slave. While there, Nur falls in love with Nephri, the sister of Rama-Tut’s second in command, Ozymandias. She rejects Nur because of his facial disfigurement and the anger and despair makes his mutant power kick in. While Kang scarpers, Nur, now calling himself Apocalypse, enslaves Ozymandias and begins his first reign.

Age of Apocalypse

Maybe the most famous Apocalypse storyline doesn’t really even feature him that much. The alternate universe line-wide takeover “Age of Apocalypse” begins when Legion, the psychotic Mutant with multiple personalities, decides to travel back in time to kill Magneto, blaming Magnus for all the ills of the present. However, Legion gets it wrong and goes back to a time when Magneto and Legion’s father, Charles Xavier, are already friends. Xavier saves Magneto and dies in the process. This rewrites history for the very worse. The only Mutant who knows this time tangent occurred is Lucas Bishop, who had chased Legion through time.

Marvel Comics

The “Age of Apocalypse” finds a world in which En Sabah Nur was able to take over Earth with impunity. Magneto ends up leading the X-Men. All the existing X-books receive new titles during this period and the characters all shift and change in myriad ways. Some good guys, like Beast, are evil in AoA, whereas some villains like Sabretooth are on the side of the angels.

The Twelve

For ages and ages in the comics, we’d heard something about “The Twelve,” a group of 12 Mutants whom Apocalypse sought to collect in order to harness their powers for him to ascend into Godhood. Though many of our main characters are candidates, we later learn the Twelve in question are: Magneto, Polaris, Storm, Sunfire, Iceman, Cyclops, Phoenix, Cable, Bishop, Mikhail Rasputin (evil older brother of Colossus and Magik), Professor X, and true wildcard, the Living Monolith.

Marvel Comics

The early 2000s in X-Men comics were very convoluted and this is perhaps the biggest offender. All you really need to know is that Apocalypse wants power unending because his body is breaking down. Because “Age of Apocalypse” had been so popular, this arc’s subseries, “Ages of Apocalypse,” showed different warped realities via Apocalypse having possessed Cyclops. It’s crazy and not very good.

Lots of Cable Shenanigans

So, the biggest continued throughline with Apocalypse from the ’90s onward is his relationship, of sorts, with Cable, aka Nathan Summers. Cable time shifts to various points in the past and future in an attempt to stop the seemingly inevitable Apocalypse-ruled future from whence he came.

In the course of these adventures, we get a very fun piece of lore. In the pages of the team-up book Cable & Deadpool which ran from 2004-2008, we learn that, at one point, Cable, under the guise of “Traveler,” went back in time to kill En Sabah Nur in Ancient Egypt. During the course of his battle, Apocalypse manages cut off Cable’s cybernetic arm. After Cable seemingly wins, shooting Apocalypse in the head, Ozymandias declares Cable the Dark Riders’ new leader. Cable declines, but in the course of his bidding farewell, he gets his own techno-organic-infused blood mixed with Apocalypse’s.

Marvel Comics

This effectively creates a Bootstrap Paradox. It was Apocalypse’s TO virus which Mister Sinister gave to baby Nathan Summers who then went back in time and infected Apocalypse. So where did the virus come from? Who had it first? Chicken, egg.

Apocalypse vs. Dracula

This is not at all important but it is very weird, which is why I want to mention it. Prior to becoming a vampire, Vlad Tepes lost in battle to Apocalypse’s Clan Akkaba. Centuries later, the vampire lord wants revenge via turning all the clan into his legion of the undead. To combat this, Apocalypse must awaken from his rejuvenating slumber to team up with—is this right?—Van Helsing to stop Dracula.

Marvel Comics Uncanny X-Force

During a period of time when most of the world’s Mutants had lost their powers (thanks, Wanda), Apocalypse ended up losing his own life, seemingly for the last time. However, his followers in Clan Akkaba couldn’t stay down for long. They eventually revived their leader…somewhat. This is a child whom Akkaba intends to indoctrinate. Stopping this becomes the first mission of the now-even more clandestine Uncanny X-Force, consisting of leader Wolverine, Archangel, Psylocke, Deadpool, and Fantomex.

The “would you kill Baby ____” thought experiment pits various members of the team on opposite sides of the debate, with Deadpool acting as the most staunch voice of mercy. Who can kill a child? Well, Fantomex, turns out. This sends a ripple through the nascent team. However, Fantomex learns of a clone of Baby Apocalypse and, to make amends to himself, he decides to raise the boy to be good.

This young one, Evan Sabahnur, eventually helps X-Force battle against Archangel when Clan Akkaba awakens his latent and not-so-hidden evilness. After Dark Archangel’s defeat, Fantomex enrolls Evan into Jean Grey’s School for Higher Learning.

Marvel Comics All New X-Men

Evan Sabahnur has a hard time fitting in amongst his new classmates. They fear him and what he may eventually become. Deadpool, during this period, becomes a mentor and older brother figure to Evan and helps the young clone resist the evils of Daken and the Brotherhood. Evan, wanting even more to prove he’s his own man, names himself Genesis and joins up with the time-displaced original X-Men.

At one point, Evan even travels back in time with Beast and befriends young En Sabah Nur. He tries in vain to prevent Nur from becoming Apocalypse. Evan Sabahnur dies in the 2019 story “Age of X-Man,” which is a riff on “Age of Apocalypse” where X-Man (alternate universe Cable) creates a totalitarian utopia.

Krakoan Age

Apocalypse has one of the most interesting storylines in the entirety of the Krakoan Age, which began in 2019 with House of X/Powers of X. After Professor X and Magneto hatched their plan with Moira MacTaggart to create a Mutant utopia on the living island Krakoa, all Mutants, regardless of level of villainy, were welcome. This included Apocalypse, who actually saw this as a wonderful and fitting moment, the culmination of all of his work.

Marvel Comics

One of the major facets of the Krakoan Age is effective immortality, through resurrection. Mutants who lost their powers after M-Day can regain them by dying and undergoing Krakoan resurrection. To prevent mass suicide by depowered mutants in order to regain their powers, the Quiet Council of Krakoa devised the Crucible, a trial by combat where a depowered mutant must endure grueling physical and psychological attacks from Apocalypse before they can die and be resurrected.

During this period, he also sits on the island’s Quiet Council, the governing body for Mutantkind as well as acting as the mentor figure to the magic-focused Excalibur team. During the massive crossover event X of Swords, we learn that Apocalypse’s original Horsemen were his biological children alongside his wife Genesis. Genesis and a whole host of Mutants raised in Apocalypse’s image arrive along with Krakoa’s sister entity, Arakko. In order to make room for all these newbies, Storm terraforms Mars and makes a second Mutant homeworld.

Marvel Comics

Eventually, Apocalypse realizes his ways are not the Krakoan way, Apocalypse attacks and fights the X-Men until Jean talks him down. Upon seeing through the eyes of the Mutants on Krakoa, Apocalypse leaves for Arakko.

X-Men ’97

So far in X-Men ’97 season two, we’ve seen elements of many of Apocalypse’s early stories played out onscreen. Presumably in the present, we’ll see him enlist new Horsemen and very likely one of those will be Gambit, and possibly Colossus. Oh what fun!

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

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!

The post The (Most Important) Marvel Comics History of Apocalypse appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Robert Pattinson is known for playing Edward Cullen, the vampire in Twilight.
• Though he hated the role for many years, he brought up a Twilight character in an interview for The Odyssey.
• He says Antinous, who is trying to nab Odysseus’s wife and kingdom, is “like Jacob,” and that he thinks audiences will be “rooting for him.”

Even after many successful roles across many genres, Robert Pattinson is still best known for playing Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga. For years, Pattinson publicly hated the writing of the movies and his character. Now, years after the last Twilight movie, his tune has changed. He actually referenced the franchise during an MTV UK red carpet interview for The Odyssey, and jokingly compared his Antinous character to Jacob from the Twilight movies. Of course, this is funny because Jacob was famously Edward Cullen’s romantic adversary.

@mtvuk

“It’s kind of like Jacob in Twilight” 😂 We cannot wait to see Robert Pattinson playing Antinous in The Odyssey 🌊 #MTVMovies #RobertPattinson #TheOdyssey #Twilight

♬ original sound – mtvuk

He said that though his character, Antinous, is a villain of the story, he thinks the audience “will be rooting for him… It’s kinda like Jacob in Twilight.”

During the height of Twilight‘s popularity, there was a serious feud between fans who wanted Bella to end up with either vampire Edward or werewolf Jacob. Though she continuously chose Edward, there were still always plenty of Jacob loyalists.

Syncopy Inc./Summit Entertainment

Pattinson’s summary of The Odyssey is as follows (and don’t you dare tell me I’m “spoiling” a 2800-year-old text):

“What The Odyssey is about, Penelope just can’t make her mind up between two guys, and I’m just trying to like help her make a decision… [Odysseus is] dead, get over it!”

If Penelope were to choose to marry Antinous, he would not only take her hand but would also take over Odysseus’ place on the throne, so there may be more to it than “trying to help her make a decision.”

Whether you’re “Team Odysseus” or “Team Antinous” (I’m making the T-shirts right now), you can watch them both in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which comes to theaters on July 17.

The post Robert Pattinson Says His ODYSSEY Character Is Like TWILIGHT’s Jacob appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Dune: Part Three‘s trailer has arrived, and we break down every single shot, Easter egg, and theory it offers.
• From the return of Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho to what Robert Pattinson’s Scytale is plotting to the mysterious shots of Zendaya’s Chani and children, we have a full trailer explanation for you.
• This Dune: Part Three trailer is full of wild insights and major hints at changes from the book that you won’t want to miss.

The Dune: Part Three trailer is here. And, as with all things Dune, it is jam-packed with action, emotion, and Easter eggs. Dune: Part Three will adapt Frank Herbert’s 1969 sequel novel, Dune Messiah. Dune told the story of young Paul Atreides and his rise to power. And now, Dune: Part Three takes place 17 years after Paul Atreides unleashed his Fremen armies across the known universe. He has become the figurehead of both church and state in his new empire and destroys any and all who oppose him. But Paul’s empire is under attack from both outside and within. Factions of the old imperium: the Bene Gesserit, the Spacing Guild, and the mysterious Tleilaxu, all aim to gain leverage over Paul and seize the monopoly of spice production from his control. And we get to see all this play out in the epic new sneak peek at the movie.

But how does someone destroy such a powerful leader who has the ability to see all of time and space? And how can Paul Atreides redeem himself from the terror he has set upon the universe? Well, let’s dig into this new Dune: Part Three footage to find out!

Paul Atreides Is Large and in Charge in the Dune: Part 3 Trailer

Like the first trailer, this new trailer shows the devastation of Paul Atreides’ war to solidify his hold on power. We see more shots of the brutal battle from the special preview at Cinemacon. Paul walks amongst the aftermath of another intense battle. Entire landscapes have been demolished and burned to ash, most likely the result of a Stone Burner. Paul’s sister, Alia, walks barefoot through even more ashes as she is surrounded by the dead bodies of those who tried to resist Paul’s rule. Paul Atreides climbs his dais to stand above his countless Fremen legions.

Warner Bros./Legendary Entertainment

And in case you still weren’t sure who’s in charge, we also see a MASSIVE statue of Emperor Paul Muad’Dib and his even larger palace, the Arrakeen Keep. The Arrakeen Keep looks almost like an inversion of the Emperor’s Hutment from the battle at the end of Dune Part 2. Paul overthrew the 10,000-year-long Corrino empire to build a new empire that could defy the one before it. But as Paul will come to find out, history repeats itself when it comes to charismatic leaders and the power structures that support them.

Duncan Idaho Returns in the Dune: Part 3 trailer: Here’s How Jason Momoa Comes Back

In this Dune: Part Three trailer, we hear the voice of what sounds like Duncan Idaho, describing the crimes of Paul’s new empire. In Dune: Part 1, Duncan helped Paul escape by fighting the Emperor’s Sardaukar troops, and he died in the process. But now we see him kneeling in front of Paul in the Atreides throne room. So, how is Duncan Idaho alive?

Well, Jason Momoa’s returning Duncan Idaho isn’t actually alive. He’s Hayt, a ghola. In Dune: Part Three, that means he’s reanimated flesh grown from Duncan Idaho’s dead body. Gholas are manufactured by the Tleilaxu, a secretive group of genetically altered humans who specialize in biogenetic engineering. The Tleilaxu regrew Duncan’s body in their mysterious axlotl tanks, except for his eyes, which they replaced with metallic eyes of mysterious design. The Tleilaxu also have the skills to genetically alter these gholas as well, embedding secret abilities and behaviors into their cellular makeup.

Warner Bros./Legendary

But is this still Duncan? Survey says, no. Paul Atreides bests Hayt in combat, something that would have never happened against the original Duncan Idaho, the greatest Swordmaster to have ever lived. But Hayt has no memory of his body’s previous life, only that he’s been told he was a Swordmaster and was a loyal member of House Atreides. 

But why would the Tleilaxu go through the trouble of bringing Duncan’s old body back to life? Hayt is merely a part of the grand conspiracy plot against the emperor Paul Muad’Dib Atreides. Hayt says he is meant to deliver a peace proposal. But as we see later in the Skull Tomb, he warns his former student that this proposal is meant to destroy him and his entire empire.

Paul Atreides Has Many Enemies in Dune: Part 3

The conspiracy against Paul takes a multi-pronged approach. We see the conspirators meet on a Spacing Guild Heighliner: Irulan, played by Florence Pugh, the daughter of the former emperor; the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, the head of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood; and Scytale the Face Dancer, a shapeshifter and yet another creation of the Tleilaxu.

Irulan is wife to Paul Atreides in name only, whom he married to secure his ascension to the throne at the end of Dune: Part 2 after he usurped her father’s regime. Irulan is also a Bene Gesserit sister, but her main priority is to keep her Corrino family name in power.

Warner Bros./Legendary

In this Dune: Part Three trailer, we can see Irulan landing in the Arrakeen spaceport and traveling to Paul’s Keep. She is surrounded by the Qizarate, Paul’s elite priestly guard of former Fedaykin warriors. Either she is under extreme protection or she is being held captive. As for why she’s covered in mud? We have no idea, unless the Predator is part of this conspiracy plot, too.

The Reverend Mother Mohiam aims to gain control of the Bene Gesserit’s breeding program once again. Paul Atreides is the result of generations of selective breeding, granting him his prescient powers as the Kwisatz Haderach. In the Dune Messiah book, Mohiam plots with Irulan for Irulan to give birth to Paul Atreides’ heir, thereby bringing Paul’s genetic line back into the hands of the Bene Gesserit.

Robert Pattinson’s Scytale Is Here to Menace and Delight Us in the Dune: Part 3 Trailer

Scytale is a representative of the Tleilaxu. The Tleilaxu are reviled throughout the Imperium for their genetic experiments, but many people rely on the Tleilaxu to supply manufactured creatures like Gholas or the shapeshifting Face Dancers. Scytale provides the Ghola Hayt as a way to distract Paul, but Scytale may have some additional tricks up his sleeve.

Warner Bros./Legendary

In one of Robert Pattinson’s more normal voices, Scytale explains in the Dune: Part 3 trailer that this conspiracy aims for “regime change,” to which Irulan replies that he has just signed their death warrants. Irulan fears that Paul’s prescient sight will reveal this secret meeting of traitors. But the last and maybe most mysterious member of the conspiracy, Edric the Spacing Guild Navigator, shields them from Paul’s vision.

Meet Edric of the Spacing Guild

The floating sarcophagus tank we see in both Dune: Part Three trailers most likely holds Edric of the Spacing Guild. Spacing Guild Navigators take heavy doses of the spice melange, granting them the limited prescience needed to safely guide their gigantic ships along the safest routes possible through space. The book Dune Messiah explores how those with limited oracular vision, like Edric, can cloud and muddle the oracular visions of others, like Paul.

Paul Atreides’ powerful abilities allow him to calculate the most likely futures possible. But if others can also see glimpses of those futures, they can take the actions to change potential outcomes. Both Paul and Edric are invisible to each other in their visions, but they can see the ripple effects each causes in the streams of time.

By hiding within the cloak of Edric’s prescience, the conspirators hope to distract and confuse Paul. Paul is aware there is a plot against him, but as he confesses later in the Dune: Part Three trailer, he can’t see the exact details. But could Paul be blind to the conspiracy or some other crucial moment later he cannot see beyond?

Here’s What We Think Happens

Similar to in the book, we can see the Spacing Guild most likely presenting Hayt as a gift to Paul. They do this under the guise of gaining favor with the emperor, but it is really to plant a dangerous weapon in his midst. Paul Atreides understands Hayt is part of a larger scheme, but can’t resist having his close friend brought back to him. The Tleilaxu engineered Hayt to function as a Mentat, like Thufir Hawat in Dune: Part 1, and he causes Paul to question his own actions.

With Paul distracted, the conspirators are free to strike at the power structures of Paul’s empire. Paul secured his rule with both his violent Fremen armies and his strict control over spice production, making Arrakis the sole source of power in the Imperium. But now, the fervor that rallied the Fremen to Paul’s cause has begun to wane.

Dune: Part 3‘s Trailer Shows a Blind Paul Atreides: Here’s Why The Loss of His Eyes Matters

In Dune Messiah, we hear the story of Farok, one of Paul’s top Fedaykin commandos, who finally sees a sea for the first time. For a Fremen, who grew up on a desert world and who could never conceive of the idea of that much water, the sea changed Farok’s outlook on Paul’s war.

In this trailer, we see this moment of Farok and Stilgar, wearing the same armor from the devastating battle in the preview, looking at the sea for the first time. Many of the Fremen kneel in the waves and pray, echoing the imagery of the Fremen when Paul rode his first sandworm.

The conspirators use disillusioned warriors like Farok to destroy their messiah emperor. The defectors spring a trap using an explosive weapon called a Stone Burner. In the Dune universe, the use of atomic weaponry against humans is outlawed, but a Stone Burner emits a specific type of radiation that burns away soft tissue of the body, specifically the eyes. Fremen law says any injured or blinded Fremen are considered useless to their tribes and must be cast out into the desert. So by blinding Paul Atreides, the Fremen would no longer deem him worthy as their leader.

And in this scene of Arrakeen at night, we see this part of the conspiracy play out. Paul and his elite guard, including his sister Alia, are lured out into the Arrakeen streets, and what looks like a Stone Burner explosion catches them in its blast. Paul is front and center, and we see a quick shot of him looking directly at the light with his eyes one last time.

Later in the trailer, we see the blast hasn’t killed Paul Atreides, but it has destroyed his eyes, literally turning him into a blind prophet. But can he still see? Was this the moment he couldn’t see in his visions of the future? Book readers know, but we won’t spoil more anything more for now.

There WILL Be Sandworm Action in Dune: Part 3

But what about Paul’s control over spice production? The giant sandworms are the only source of spice in the universe, and they only live on Arrakis. Paul Atreides has the ability to destroy the spice cycle on Arrakis, a threat that the rest of the Imperium would rather not put to the test. But if the Spacing Guild can break Paul’s monopoly on spice, then they, the Bene Gesserit, and the rest of the noble houses can freely access the most precious spice melange, upon which they are all entirely dependent.

In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sentence from the book, Paul learns that the Spacing Guild aims to kidnap a sandworm from Arrakis in the hopes of starting a new spice cycle on another planet. And from the look of this trailer, we think this film adaptation will greatly expand this plan to become a huge action scene.

The first Dune: Part Three trailer showed us Chani wielding a crysknife on what looked like the back of a sandworm. But now this new trailer gives us more of this major confrontation! Hayt jumps from an ornithopter and lands on a sandworm. As we hear him try to remember his past as the Atreides Swordmaster, we see Hayt unsheathe a sword. Paul watches on as Hayt gives Duncan’s old salute before mowing down any Fremen in his way.

Two Fremen glide with parachutes over the sand. A massive explosion goes off in front of a sandworm. And lastly, we see the final piece of the conspirator’s plan: Chani. 

Zendaya’s Chani Brings a Big Change From the Dune Messiah Book to Dune: Part 3

In what is probably the biggest change from the source material, this Dune: Part Three trailer leads us to believe that Zendaya’s Chani is part of the conspiracy plot against Paul Atreides. We hear Scytale say, “I found someone,” and then see Chani testing the sand in the desert. In the first Dune: Part Three trailer, we also saw Chani hitting the sand in what looked like an attempt to summon a sandworm. But later in this trailer, a sandworm charges straight at her, only to abruptly stop right before she is engulfed. If you look closely, you can see it is surrounded by what looks like thumpers, or maybe those are devices that can stop a worm.

Warner Bros./Legendary

So is Chani a crucial part of the conspirators’ plan? At the end of Dune: Part 2, Chani left Paul Atreides after he seized the throne. She was upset at how Paul manipulated her people, and she was ashamed she enabled yet another oppressor to take over her world. In Dune: Part Three, could Chani go so far as to help remove Paul from power? Could she be the key to uniting the Fremen defectors?

The conspirators must know that Chani could be a weakness for Paul Atreides. In fact, it appears Paul meets Chani, but is it really Chani? After we hear Paul confess he can’t see the future, Chani asks him what it feels like to be human like everyone else. But she calls Paul by his full formal name, instead of his Fremen name like Chani actually would. We think this is highly likely Scytale, shifting his form into Chani’s, to taunt Paul and goad him further into a trap.

As for the real Chani, this massive shift of her role in this story could have major implications for what to expect at the ending of Dune: Part Three and for the future of the Dune saga to come. Because now, we can finally talk about the beginning of the Dune: Part Three trailer and what may happen between Paul and Chani.

The Beginning of the Dune: Part 3 Trailer is of CRITICAL Importance

The Dune: Part 3 trailer begins with Paul meeting Chani in what appears to be a sietch. Chani immediately lays into Paul for what he has done to rise to power as this scene cuts to the devastation of Paul’s war. But we also see shots of Paul and Chani happily together.

This argument between Paul and Chani appears to take place shortly after the end of Dune: Part 2. The trailer even flashes back to the ending of Part 2, when Paul chose Irulan for marriage, and Chani angrily disappeared into the desert. In the Dune book, Chani accepts her role as Paul’s concubine, but in the film adaptations, her role has been expanded. She now provides the audience with a close, personal viewpoint of Paul Atreides. 

After Chani tells Paul she trusted him in the Dune: Part Three trailer, we see a flashback to when Paul and Chani were together during the events of Dune: Part 2. Chani wears her blue nezhoni scarf, which symbolizes when a Fremen woman is devoted to her partner. And many Dune fans saw this scarf as a sign that Chani may have been pregnant with Paul’s child by the end of Dune: Part 2.

We then see another shot of Paul and Chani together, where Chani wears her scarf and is clearly pregnant and showing. So is this another flashback? This would have to have happened after the end of Dune: Part 2, right? Or is this after Paul and Chani’s argument here in this Dune: Part Three trailer? Or could this even be one of Paul’s visions of a possible future that didn’t happen?

But then we get one of the most shocking shots in this entire trailer: Chani sitting on a dune next to two small children! Who could they be? Here we’re going to give you another spoiler warning, because this is a major reveal based on what we know from the books.

SPOILER WARNING: Paul Atreides and Chani’s Children in Dune: Part 3‘s Trailer

In the Dune Messiah story, one of the major plot points focuses on Paul fathering an heir. Irulan and the Bene Gesserit want Irulan to give birth to Paul’s child, to regain control of his bloodline. Paul Atreides, however, only wants to have a child with Chani, but he sees a terrible future in which she dies in childbirth, so he has held off on having children.

But by the end of the book, Chani actually gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Paul could not see this outcome in his visions of the future due to his children’s powerful oracular abilities. Chani’s death proves too much for Paul to handle, and he abandons his empire. Both Ghanima and Leto II then become the titular children in Children of Dune as they must decide whether to continue their father’s empire or destroy his legacy altogether.

This shot in the Dune: Part Three trailer, however, shows Chani alive with these children. We also see another shot of Paul and Chani together holding what appears to be a pair of Fremen babybjörns. And lastly, we also see Paul and Chani appear to reconcile with each other as they embrace in the Dune: Part Three trailer.

Dune’s director, Denis Villeneuve, has confirmed that this adaptation of Dune Messiah will take place 17 years after Dune: Part 2. Villeneuve has also said his adaptation still focuses on the love story between Paul and Chani.

Some of the best indicators for the timeline between the films is the length of Paul’s hair and the appearance of scars and tattoos on Paul and Chani’s faces. So maybe, if these moments of Paul and Chani together aren’t visions of a future that never existed, it looks like this argument between them and these flashbacks must take place soon after Dune: Part 2. But if Paul is already aware that he has kids, where are they during his reign in Dune: Part Three?

In the shot of Chani and the children sitting on the dune from the Dune: Part Three trailer, Chani lets her nezhoni scarf blow away in the wind. We then see Paul pick up the scarf, but his shaved head clearly shows that time has passed since his happy moments with Chani. We’ll just have to wait and see how this order of events plays out and how much it may affect the future of a potential Children of Dune adaptation. 

Dune: Part 3 Is Sure to Be an Incredible Adventure

But as for this movie and its conspiracy plot? We’ll also have to wait and see how successfully it plays out. We see Scytale have a close call with a sandworm. Reverend Mother Mohiam appears to be held captive by the psychotic Alia Atreides. Irulan has mud on her face. And Hayt might finally remember his life as Duncan Idaho. 

Paul won’t need his eyesight to sense the trap closing in around him, but just like the trap of the Gom Jabbar in Dune: Part 1, it seems like what’s left of Paul’s humanity will be put to the ultimate test. And that was everything we spotted in this latest trailer for Dune: Part Three!

Dune: Part Three will release in theaters on December 18, 2026.

The post DUNE: PART 3 Trailer: Our Complete Breakdown and Easter Egg Explainer of the Epic Sneak Peek appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• New Scooby Doo x Transformers collaboration creates two characters.
• Every character from the show is represented with four interchangeable heads, and Scooby as “Automutt.”
• The Transformers company is still doing extremely well with exclusive figures coming out in collaboration with other media.

The Mystery Machine has a new look. Hasbro’s Transformers x Scooby Doo collaboration has created “Mysterious Prime” (totally sick name), a Mystery Machine transforming toy, and “Automutt,” his faithful companion.

Hasbro

The fully extended van is 6 inches tall and has interchangeable heads resembling Transformers versions of Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy. To accessorize, he even comes with two ascot color options, which is adorable. Additionally, he can hold an included camera and flashlight. Hilariously, Scooby transforms into a compact box of Scooby Snacks.

The Scooby Automutt is oddly reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s McDonald’s Changeables series of Happy Meal toys. Little creatures, compacted into food items.

And the set’s price? That’ll be $57.99.

Gulp. But if you’re a collector, this price shouldn’t faze you, with the recent Stranger Things figure also costing almost $60. Rare figures can go for pretty steep prices online after their run.

This is one of many recent Transformers collaborations. The company has been making exclusive, limited-edition figures based on everything, from their ongoing NFL series and Stranger Things, to a hilarious 2023 collab with Canon. Other than toys, the most recent Transformers project to hit the screen was an animated prequel, Transformers One in 2024. Before that was a live-action film, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. The 1980s franchise is proving to have extremely high sticking power, indeed. And, Scooby-Doo is coming to Netflix with a live-action series as well as an upcoming anime, so that franchise is also still quite popular.

So, if you’re a big fan of both Scooby-Doo and Transformers, I’d run to grab your Mysterious Prime figure before it goes to online resale.

The post Hasbro’s TRANSFORMERS x SCOOBY DOO Figure Is Bizarrely Cool appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• The latest Evil Dead movie, Evil Dead Burn, has plenty of brutality for gore hounds, but otherwise misses the mark entirely. Read our review.

For decades in the horror community, there was Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy, and there was everything else. While franchises spat out installment after installment, Raimi’s gruesome, punishing, blackly comedic splatter fests remained (more or less) perfect. When it became clear Raimi wasn’t going to make a fourth one himself, it opened the door for new directors. 2013 saw Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead remake and 2023 brought us Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise, the first in what is to be a new trilogy. The second installment, Evil Dead Burn, from French director Sébastien Vanicek, is here now. While it tries to be Evil Dead, it’s really just everything else.

New Line Cinema

Nobody besides Sam Raimi is Sam Raimi, and I like that Vanicek—like Alvarez and Cronin before him—attempts something different within the framework of the series. Are there deadites? Do they inflict grievous bodily harm on themselves and others? Will we see power tools? Great! But you still need the basic elements of good drama. Alvarez used the premise to touch on addiction and detox; Cronin made it all about stunted adulthood and taking responsibility. Evil Dead Burn gestures toward something deeper, but never spends near the amount of time it needs to resonate. And the characters? Maybe the thinnest and least likeable you’ll ever meet.

The movie follows Alice (Souhelia Yacoub), whose husband Will (George Pullar), with whom she has a bit of a fractious relationship, dies early in the movie. We then cut to the funeral attended only by Will’s family. That includes: Mother Susan (Tandi Wright), father Edgar (Erroll Shand), brother Joseph (Hunter Doohan), grandma Polly (Maude Davey) who suffers from dementia, and Joseph’s girlfriend Thya (Luciane Buchanan). It’s a tense event (to put it mildly) and even more tense is the lunch afterward at the family’s now-dilapidated summer home.

New Line Cinema

Joseph has uncovered some of Susan’s father’s papers in the attic. He was some kind of occultist in a secret society, and he found a sacred relic. The reel-to-reel tapes Joseph plays (because of course he does) in Evil Dead Burn awaken the demonic entities that descend on the family and make things generally unpleasant. Or, I guess, more unpleasant.

My biggest issue with the movie is that we don’t know anything about these people. The amount of time between when we meet the family and when deadite shit starts happening is so brief in Evil Dead Burn, we barely get our footing. The movie keeps throwing these jump-cut-laden flashbacks to Will and Alice’s unhappy marriage while Will’s family berates her for wanting to move on with her life. (Sidebar: I couldn’t tell you if the funeral is happening a week after Will’s death or six months.) Joseph is a writer, I guess, and his girlfriend Thya is…a woman…? And Will’s parents, holy crap. Their whole reason for existing seems to be “we hate our son’s aloof French widow because she’s aloof and French.”

New Line Cinema

The closest we get to a character with any sort of past is, ironically, Grandma Polly. She’ll occasionally say things in her dementia confusion that allude to what life was like before. But if you think an Evil Dead movie is going to treat a grandma with dignity, you need to go back to thinking school. No one is safe in this movie, not even the dog we barely see. It almost feels like all of these people are in completely separate movies, and it’s just nobody told them.

I’m definitely not going to argue that Ash Williams and his friends in the first Evil Dead were supremely deep characters. However, we got to spend a decent amount of time with them just hanging out. We also had Bruce Campbell’s increasingly unhinged performances, not to mention Raimi’s demented Warner Bros. cartoon direction to get us by. Here, we have some decent gore sequences, and one or two single-take action scenes that feel somewhat different. And Evil Dead Burn is certainly a brutally violent movie, but it is not in a fun way. For all the stomach-churning elements of the earlier movies, they all had fun, gave us some gallows laughter.

New Line Cinema

Evil Dead Burn wants to give the story gravitas with themes of familial trauma and spousal abuse. That is way, way too heavy a subject to tackle if the filmmakers had no desire to actually contend with it. The moments that veer toward comedic feel so strange amid all of that. The movie is just at odds with itself. It may have been a bad Mummy movie, but Lee Cronin’s movie from earlier this year feels more tonally consistent with an Evil Dead movie than this does.

And not to pile on, but if you feel like sticking around past the credits, you’ll see the most confusing and forced tease for another movie I’ve perhaps ever seen. It truly baffles me.

The Evil Dead series has a very high bar for quality in my opinion, and Evil Dead Burn is comfortably the worst. I’ve seen all the movies three or more times apiece; I can’t see myself ever watching this one again.

⭐ (2 of 5)

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

The post EVIL DEAD BURN Is a Gore-Soaked Disappointment (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Supergirl leaned away from its source material in ways that led to its downfall, especially with its approach to heartbreak and death.

From the day the first trailer for Supergirl released, it should’ve been clear that comic fans were in for disappointment. The visual dissonance from the film’s source material—Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King with illustrations by Bilquis Evely—was quite clear in a not-good way. How one could look at that book’s art, with its kaleidoscope explosion of colors so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes, and instead choose the aesthetic of the Christopher Walken beer commercial is beyond my understanding.

That’s a bit mean, I know. But after you’ve seen something look the way that Project Hail Mary did, it’s even harder not to be frustrated with why such an approach couldn’t have even been somewhat attempted here. 

RELATED ARTICLE

SUPERGIRL Doesn’t Quite Fly High Enough (Review)

Aesthetics aside, the dichotomy between the book and film adaptation is even more frustrating. There are plenty of Marvel flicks—or, really, blockbusters in general these days—that look like wet cement. But they still have plenty of attributes that can at least partially atone for it. And while there’s plenty of narrative issues with the film, there is none that is quite as perplexing as the ending. Supergirl (played admirably by Milly Alcock, for what it’s worth) triumphantly stabs the villain, Krem of the Yellow Hills, through the chest with a big ole sword. 

I’m not saying this decision to change in the movie is bad because of some teletubby, cumbaya, and corporate-incentivized idea that “Superheroes Should Never Kill.” There are plenty of characters, particularly men, that have done their fair share of murderous ventures with tremendous popularity and acclaim. Nor am I doing a bad faith reading that killing means “we’re no better than the bad guys,” as it strips context from a given situation in order to appear morally superior.

DC Studios

My issue is that in execution, Supergirl killing Krem was mistaking edginess for boldness. Some fault is due to how she’s portrayed as a jaded, curmudgeon alcoholic in contrast with the more worn down, quietly heartbroken heroine in the graphic novel. It’s as if the filmmakers only read the first chapter in Woman of Tomorrow in which she gets absolutely plastered for her 21st birthday. They seemed to take that and make it 80% of her character rather than a simple, humorous subversive opening premise. She’s frustrated with the universe, but not an unimpeachable liaison of judgement, which feels appropriate for someone of near godlike abilities and a culture that went kablooey. 

Tom King/Bilquis Evely/DC Comics

She’s here to guide us, which is why the book saw her lying about Krypto’s health when she was actually there to watch over Ruthye, the young secondary protagonist, as she goes on her dangerous path of vengeance. Instead, Supergirl speedruns all the character-building necessary for the killing of Krem to feel more earned. Therefore, the decision comes off incredibly cheap rather than a profound contribution to a debate on moral ethics. 

It’s glaring in comparison to something like X-Men 97, in which Rogue attempts to kill Bolivar Trask, the creator of the Sentinel machines that just committed a genocide on the mutant nation of Genosha. You actually feel her anger there, because the mutants tried to play ball. They did everything by the rules. They trusted that society could slowly get better—that people could get better.

Even this movie’s predecessor Superman has an underlying theme of initial compassion that turns into a kill after the genocidal Boravian dictator doesn’t heeds Superman’s warning. Of course, he’s later smashed onto the ground thanks to Hawk Girl. The killing wasn’t necessarily approved, but it certainly wasn’t condemned, given the context, either.

And that’s the route that Supergirl could’ve taken if it actually wanted to do something interesting. In the final panels in Woman of Tomorrow, a now-elderly Ruthye meets again with Krem. His life is spared after, in a twist, Ruthye’s pleading with Supergirl to not do so. And this is after being confined to the Phantom Zone for at least 300 years. There was something about these panels, the shadowy silhouettes, the rising sun in the background, that gave me a sense of ambiguity. 

Tom King/Bilquis Evely/DC Comics

Ruthye bonks Krem in the head, but you can still see a bit of movement from him afterward, implying he was still alive. But my initial reaction is what I think could’ve been done here. These questions behind the morality of killing are complicated, so why not channel the spirit of the comic’s beautiful final shot? Why not actually do something we truly haven’t seen from one of these comic book movies before? But instead, we got what we got.

Now, I worry about what kind of quandary this sets up for the character going forward. After she’s killed in such an unambiguous way, what’s to stop her in future movies from doing the same or the potential hypocrisy for evil that she does choose to spare? 

It’s why I envision, and at this point have established as my own headcanon, that Supergirl ended with Ruthye hitting Krem from a far enough view that his fate is left up to the audience. You can’t quite praise it, but you certainly can’t condemn it. It’s about wearing heartbreak with humility—and a refrain from judging our peers—of not knowing the answer.

The post SUPERGIRL Did Not Do Heartbreak Nor Bold Decisions Well appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Disney’s live-action Moana is much better than its trailers, bu

I did not exactly find the trailers for Disney’s live-action Moana encouraging. Something felt off about the whole thing. There was way too much green screen, Dwayne Johnson’s wig just didn’t look right, and it seemed like essentially a shot-for-shot remake of a beloved film that isn’t even that old. Well, all of those things ended up being true. And yet, to my great surprise, this live-action version of Moana isn’t bad. It’s actually pretty decent. The movie’s biggest problem is that, like most live-action remakes, it can’t really justify its own existence. Dive into our full review of the live-action Moana movie.

If you’ve seen the original Moana cartoon movie, you know everything, almost exact-beat-for-exact-beat that happens in the live-action version (that I love). The only real difference comes in the mixed bag opening act. It features arguably the most beautiful sequences from the movie (we’ll come back to that), but feels twice as long as the original. (It’s about one-third longer.) The opening section is really delightful at first, but by the time Moana finally sets out on her adventure, I was long at past my “get to the fireworks factory” point.

Once Moana takes to the sea, though, the movie’s pace picks up considerably. Any changes after that come almost entirely via the dialogue and a few lyrics, but those are mostly small. There are no major differences anywhere. Viewers who haven’t seen the original in a long time won’t even notice them. I have seen it recently, though, and I liked almost all of the new touches. The additions and alterations to a few lyrics, lines, and quick shots all fit within the story. More importantly, they were almost always good and didn’t interfere with the film’s bullet-proof plot, themes, and emotional core.

Disney

Those things are also true of the film’s titular star, Catherine Lagaʻaia. I bought her as Moana the second she joined the story. Lagaʻaia is charming, vulnerable, and determined. The only “issue” with her performance has nothing to do with her. It’s just weird to think “that’s Moana,” but then hear a different voice singing Moana’s songs. Considering everything going on around the characters in the live-action movie is basically exactly the same as the original version of Moana, it is a little jarring, but again, not Laga’aia’s fault. It’s just something a fan who loves any animated musical will have to deal with when a movie gets remade in live-action.

Obviously, that issue doesn’t exist in quite the same way with Maui, since Dwayne Johnson plays the demigod once again. Only, he doesn’t play him exactly the same way. Maui’s broad strokes—brash, funny, proud, sort-of-mean—are all still there, but Johnson makes a really smart choice with his performance. Rather than play up Maui’s cartoonish nature, Johnson plays up the character’s human side. He centers his performance around Maui’s sad background rather than his bigger-than-life ego. In the Moana trailer, this made his performance seem strangely muted, but it makes sense in the movie. That slight change in perspective completely works in a live-action film. As a cartoon, Johnson plays Maui bigger and with a lot more energy. In live-action Moana form, he plays him more human.

Disney

This more vulnerable, broken Maui is really smart, really effective, and really pays off. When he tells Moana the truth about his past and his parents’ rejection of him, it lands a much bigger emotional punch. It’s maybe my favorite scene in the film.

The wig? Not my favorite! It’s not quite as bad as it looks in the Moana movie trailers, and eventually I (sort of) got used to it, but it never looks great aside from when Maui’s hair gets wet. Then it strangely looks fantastic. The best thing I can say about the wig is that it didn’t ruin the movie for me. Nor did Johnson probably being too old for the role. Maui is an ageless demigod. Even after a thousand years stranded on an island, that’s easy enough to pull off in animation. But human actors get old, even Dwayne Johnson.

Disney

What occasionally ruined the film for me were sequences so obviously filmed on green screen that it was all I could think about. The live-action Moana movie is visually among the most inconsistent movies I’ve ever seen. There are moments clearly filmed on location in Hawaii that look absolutely gorgeous. They are among the biggest justification for making the film. Then there are shots that I think were filmed on location that somehow look like green screen, which is very weird. And some green-screen sequences do look really good, which makes it even stranger how unpleasant the bad green-screen moments are.

The good news is that the film’s special effects are really excellent. The CGI, including Te Fiti, Hei Hei*, the conscious water, Tamatoa, and a super fun and playful “You’re Welcome” sequence, all look great. The good VFX helps cover up some of the other visual issues.

*The “live-action” Hei Hei really is excellent, but he doesn’t look like a real chicken. He’s a recreation of the cartoon version. As is Tamatoa, who could not be more identical to his cartoon counterpart. I understand why this happened, but I still think it’s weird that live-action movies don’t make their animal characters look real.

The biggest problem the live-action Moana movie has is exactly what plagued the very good live-action How To Train Your Dragon, which was also basically an exact remake. Both films work because they don’t change what worked before. They don’t screw up a winning formula and tell a great story with compelling characters we already know and love. But that’s also why neither ever makes a great case for why they should exist.

Like with How To Train Your Dragon remake, the live-action Moana is essentially a faithful cover of a classic song. It’s good for all the reasons the original song is good. But it’s not better because it’s not trying to be better. And because it’s not even trying to be different, it’s impossible for the live-action Moana to be great on its own. It both succeeds and doesn’t because it is, intentionally, an inferior version.

Is being a “good cover” enough to justify a big-budget remake of a beloved movie that isn’t even that old? Probably not, but there are worse ways to spend a night at the movies. That’s certainly what I was expecting from the live-action Moana.

⭐ (3.5 of 5)

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. He will wear the Maui wig if Disney sends it to him. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Live-Action MOANA Is a Good Remake and That’s All It’s Trying to Be (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Critical Role finally released the trailer for Age of Umbra: Sallowlands and things are dark and deeply creepy in the Halcyon Domain.

Critters, get ready for a dark and deeply creepy new miniseries! After many months of teasers and tidbits of information, Critical Role finally released the trailer for Age of Umbra: Sallowlands. In that clip, we get to meet some pretty cool adventurers whom Matt Mercer will guide through this Daggerheart story.

We will traverse through this story with Sister, Dillwyn and her companion Badger, Caguama, Alphonse, and Mercy, played by Critical Role co-founder Laura Bailey, Jennifer English, Abubakar Salim, Vico Ortiz, and Zachery Renauldo, respectively. These survivors will parse through the dangerous Halcyon Domain, which is now devoid of joy and crumbling. But, there’s rumors of “gargantuan metropolis appearing out of nowhere.” 

Critical Role

This glimmer of hope keeps them moving forward, even as they encounter formidable adversaries and difficult choices. The trailer for Age of Umbra: Sallowlands teases some possible light in the midst of darkness, and we will see just how much is shed when it debuts on July 9.  

RELATED ARTICLE

Watch CRITICAL ROLE and VIVA LA DIRT LEAGUE’s Hilarious DAGGERHEART AZERIM Series Trailer

For more information, head over to Critical Role’s website and prepare for this journey.

The post Critical Role’s AGE OF UMBRA: SALLOWLANDS Trailer Is Creepy appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• M3GAN spinoff SOULM8TE will head straight to digital platforms on August 1, and that makes sense after seeing its trailer.

M3GAN’s lovebot counterpart will not get her chance to shine on the big screen. Last year, Universal dropped SOULM8TE, a spinoff film, from its theatrical slate. The erotic thriller is about a man who gets an AI droid to cope with the loss of his wife. He attempts to fashion a sentient partner but instead ends up with a deadly soulmate. Sounds familiar? It probably does if you’ve seen Companion. Now, SOULM8TE will head straight to digital platforms versus theaters on August 1, and we have a trailer for this film. 

Things go exactly how you’d imagine they would in this clip. We meet a lonely man named David who starts to use his techie brain to tweak a humanoid bot. Why? Because he finds the interactions and expressions of it to be “limited.” Well, after he tweaks this pretty droid, she starts to become obsessed with him, saying she loves him and watching him in his sleep. Predictably, an actual woman comes into a grieving David’s life (hello Victoria Neuman from The Boys!) and his new soulmate is not happy at all.

Universal Pictures

She starts to get violent and deadly with anyone whom she feels stands in her way of having David all to herself. After watching the SOULM8TE trailer, it makes sense why they decided to bring this film to streaming. This feels wholly ridiculous and like a film you should watch at home with a good snack and beverage. It would be hard for this type of film to compete against major blockbuster releases, too.

SOULM8TE will be available to watch through your preferred at home platform on August 1.

The post M3GAN Spinoff SOULM8TE’s Trailer Confirms Why It’s Going to Digital appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Cable and Apocalypse operate as two side of the same tragic coin in X-Men ’97 season two, which has always been their destinies.

For decades, Cable and Apocalypse have represented opposite ends of the X-Men universe. Cable is the battle-worn soldier who travels through time trying to prevent the world’s darkest futures. Apocalypse is the immortal mutant who believes those futures are inevitable because only the strongest deserve to survive. One fights for hope, while the other preaches survival, and neither one ever really compromises.

On the surface, they couldn’t be more different. But X-Men ’97 season two reveals something more interesting: Cable and Apocalypse aren’t just enemies. They’re reflections of each other, two men shaped by loss, raised by war, and burdened with futures that no one else can fully understand. The real difference is what they choose to do with that trauma.

RELATED ARTICLE

The Marvel Comics History of X-MEN ’97’s X-Force

That idea has always been part of X-Men history, but X-Men ’97 shapes it in a way few adaptations have attempted. While Cable fights to protect the future, the series turns backward to explore Apocalypse’s origins, tracing how En Sabah Nur became one of Marvel’s most enduring villains. The result is a story told across the past, present, and future, asking whether destiny is something we inherit or something we create, and it gets especially interesting in the past, where Magneto and Professor X try to pull En Sabah Nur away from the path that will eventually define him in season 2. 

Two Mutants, Two Origins, One Shared Destiny

Understanding why Cable and Apocalypse work so well in X-Men ’97 starts with their origins. Both are shaped by tragedy, violence, and timelines that never allowed them a normal life.

Cable first appeared in The New Mutants #87 (1990), created by Louise Simonson and Rob Liefeld. Introduced as a hardened soldier from the future, he was later revealed to be Nathan Christopher Summers—the son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor (a clone of Jean Grey). Infected with the Techno-Organic Virus as an infant, he is sent into a dystopian future ruled by Apocalypse and raised in a war without end. Across The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, X-Men: The Animated Series, and even Deadpool 2, one idea stays consistent: Cable is a man built by a future that was already broken.

That future isn’t the only timeline shaped by Apocalypse’s ideology. In the Age of Apocalypse storyline—the landmark 1995 Marvel event—Apocalypse actually wins, and the result isn’t evolution or order, but a world defined entirely by survival, control, and constant conflict. It’s a version of reality where his philosophy stops being theory and becomes law. And what makes it more unsettling is how directly Cable’s mission runs counter to it: he isn’t just trying to stop Apocalypse in general; he’s trying to prevent that kind of future from ever becoming the standard outcome.

Disney+

Apocalypse’s origin runs in the opposite direction but lands in the same emotional place. First appearing in X-Factor #5 (1986), En Sabah Nur is later redefined in Rise of Apocalypse as a child born into ancient Egypt, abandoned and enslaved because of his appearance. He grows up in a world where power is survival and mercy is a liability. Torture, oppression, and systemic violence shape his worldview until compassion becomes something he cannot afford.

This is where X-Men ’97 adds its strongest layer. It doesn’t just reintroduce Apocalypse as a cosmic threat; it shows the man before the myth. By grounding him in slavery and trauma, the series reframes his ideology not as pure evil, but as something learned through survival. To him, “survival of the fittest” isn’t philosophy—it’s experience.

That’s what makes the contrast with Cable land harder. Both men are shaped by worlds defined by violence. Both lose their childhoods and parents. Both spend their lives trying to reshape the future. But Cable refuses to let pain define his humanity, while Apocalypse allows pain to redefine what humanity should be.

There’s also a subtle tension in their connection that the comics have explored for years. Apocalypse doesn’t just destroy timelines—he shapes them. Cable isn’t just a soldier from the future; he’s a product of that shaping. If survival of the fittest is Apocalypse’s creed, then Cable becomes something almost uncomfortable: proof that his philosophy can produce its own equal. Not unlike a mirror dynamic, their relationship starts to feel less like hero versus villain and more like two opposing ideologies that can’t exist without acknowledging each other.

The series doesn’t soften the physical toll of those ideologies either, often rooting their conflict in brutal, personal stakes. Both Cable and Apocalypse operate in worlds where violence is not abstract—it’s constant, immediate, and defining.

X-Men ’97 Uses Time as Its Greatest Storytelling Weapon Marvel Television

The series builds this contrast by splitting its narrative across timelines. Cable anchors the future, Apocalypse defines the past, and the X-Men exist in the present, caught between two competing visions of tomorrow.

The past shows how people become monsters. The future shows what happens if those monsters win. The present is the only place where anything can still be changed.

Professor X and Magneto have long represented ideological conflict in the X-Men, but Cable and Apocalypse push that idea further because they’re directly connected through time itself. Both have seen humanity at its worst. Both understand suffering in a way most characters never could. But only Cable believes that suffering should end. Apocalypse believes it should continue until only the strongest remain. That difference makes their conflict deeper than a hero-versus-villain. It becomes a disagreement about what pain is for.

Trauma Doesn’t Define a Hero, Choice Does Marvel Television

Every major X-Men story eventually returns to the same question: are we defined by what happens to us, or by what we choose afterward?

Cable spends his life trying to save a future that hasn’t happened yet. Apocalypse believes that future must be tested, broken, refined, and rebuilt through strength. Neither escapes tragedy, but only one refuses to let it become identity.

That’s why Cable embodies the core of the X-Men. Like Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, and Jubilee, he understands that suffering is inevitable, but compassion is a choice. It must be chosen again and again, even when history gives every excuse to abandon it.

Apocalypse makes the opposite choice. He mistakes survival for purpose, strength for morality, and evolution for justice. And that’s what X-Men: Apocalypse hinted at, even when it leaned more toward visual scale than character depth. It showed a man trying to reshape the world by destroying it first, but X-Men ’97 finally slows that idea down enough to ask why.

With more of the season still unfolding, the X-Men’s path toward confronting Apocalypse is only beginning. X-Men ’97 is now streaming on Disney+.

The post Cable and Apocalypse Are Two Sides of the Same Coin in X-MEN ’97 appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• In our exclusive interview, The Vampire Lestat/Interview with the Vampire showrunner Rolin Jones promises that we WILL see Daniel’s vampiric turning on our screens IF we get a season four.
• Armand turned Daniel into a vampire at the end of Interview with the Vampire season two, but we never got to see the actual moment.
• Armand turning Daniel is a huge moment for the pair in Anne Rice’s books, and fans are hoping to finally see it adapted on screen.

In season two of Interview with the Vampire, something very important took place that was both expected and shocking. After centuries without making a fledgeling, The Vampire Armand turned Daniel Molloy into a vampire. Of course, Armand is Daniel’s vampiric maker in the Anne Rice books as well, but the timeline is very different in the series and the books. Still, fans of Armand, Daniel, and Devil’s Minion were delighted with this turn of events. HOWEVER, the actual moment of Daniel’s turning wasn’t shown on screen in Interview with a Vampire season two, only its aftermath some months later. And this has left fans curious about whether we’ll ever see Daniel’s turning in full. A desire compounded by how important the scene is to the relationship between Armand and Daniel in the Anne Rice book, Queen of the Damned. Armed with fan curiosity and my own, I took the question to showrunner Rolin Jones in the lead-up to The Vampire Lestat. So, will we see Armand turn Daniel into a vampire on screen? …Yes, but not yet.

The Vampire Lestat showrunner, Rolin Jones, is a true gift to fans. It’s a known fact that he always goes out of his way to speak to those who love the show at events and offers up his true perspectives and insights when he’s able. And, in response to the question of whether Daniel’s turning into a vampire would make it to our screens, Jones was much the same. “Look, I’ll do this.” Jones said, sincerely squaring with me, “If they give us a season four, you’ll see it.”

RELATED ARTICLE

THE VAMPIRE LESTAT Review: Devil’s Minion Edition

Next to Jones, Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson burst out into cackles. “You’re outrageous,” Reid told Jones between laughs. And Anderson shook his head, “Diabolical.” But you know what? It works for me. I got the real sense that Jones wanted us to know that even if it wasn’t coming this season, it was on his mind to film. And this offered notion wasn’t meant to be dangled in front of us like a carrot, but merely a pretty honest offering to fans. To me, it felt like Jones wanted to level with us. The scene isn’t coming this season, but it is coming. I know it may not be the answers fans expected or wanted to hear, but where other showrunners may have obscured and teased, Jones’ honesty really struck me as a gift to those who are hoping for this scene. And, with all that said, turning or not, there’s still a lot for fans of Devil’s Minion to feel excited about… and that’s said with one whole episode we haven’t yet seen.

AMC

In a recent interview with The Vampire Lestat‘s Assad Zaman, who plays Armand, Zaman shared more about Armand turning Daniel into a Vampire, “Vampirism to Armand, I think, acts like a form of self-flagellation, similar to the way prayer and punishment go hand in hand. So yes, there’s agency in turning Daniel, but also, he’s punishing a man whom he also worships in a fucked up way.” And I feel we simply must see this blend of worship and punishment manifest. Plus, as mentioned, it’s a pivotal scene for Armand and Daniel; one worth finally bringing to our screens.

AMC

So, Rolin Jones, if you’re reading this. Please know that telling me in a junket that, if we get a season four of Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat, we’ll see the scene of Daniel’s vampiric turning in full does count as a blood pact which cannot be dissolved.

Fans, if you’re reading this and you want to see Armand turning Daniel into a vampire in full color and sound, I guess we’d better keep converting the masses to the wonder of this series and tuning in to watch The Vampire Lestat as it airs on AMC and AMC+ (on Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT and midnight, respectively).

Rotem Rusak is Editor-in-Chief of Nerdist. She is waiting for Armand and Daniel to finally get together so one of her canon ships can finally sail on The Vampire Lestat.

Originally published on June 8, 2026.

The post We WILL See Daniel’s Vampire Turning, Promises Rolin Jones… BUT Not Until Season 4 of IWTV/THE VAMPIRE LESTAT (Exclusive) appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Akasha mention a mysterious “Amel” in The Vampire Lestat. This character is extremely important to Anne Rice’s vampiric mythology.

The vampiric Queen, Akasha (Sheila Atim), quickly dropped the name “Amel” in her big debut scene in episode five of The Vampire Lestat, “New York,” where she awakens after centuries thanks to Lestat (Sam Reid). Additionally, we hear Lestat himself address “Amel” in his voice-over earlier in the episode, as though he’s speaking to the figure. (“But I, Amel, digress…) Fans of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series know that Amel is a being that is at the core of Rice’s vampire lore, quite literally. And Amel has powerful connections to both Akasha, the Queen of the Damned, and the Vampire Lestat himself, as this episode of The Vampire Lestat suggests. Amel’s history developed quite a bit over the decades of Rice’s 13-volume series of novels, but now that the TV series is bringing him into its fold, however obliquely, it’s time to learn more about the powerful being. Who is Amel in The Vampire Lestat? And what’s he got to do with our main characters? Let’s dive in.

Amel Is the Unnamed “Demon” in The Vampire Lestat (1985): He’s Responsible for Creating All Vampires AMC

Amel is first mentioned as an unnamed demon in the 1985 novel The Vampire Lestat. When the ancient Marius de Romanus explains the origins of the vampire species to Lestat, as they were explained to him 2,000 years earlier, he mentions a noisy, powerful spirit that haunted the kingdom of Kemet (now Egypt) some 6,000 years earlier. King Enkil and Queen Akasha ruled this kingdom. During a rebellion and assassination attempt on the royal couple, Amel entered through the wounds inflicted on Akasha, fusing with her blood, and making her the first vampire. Yes, Amel is the entity responsible for all vampires in the world of The Vampire Lestat.

Amel Gets a Name in The Queen of the Damned (1988) and Creates Vampires AMC

In the third Vampire Chronicles novel, The Queen of the Damned, we get the full story of Amel. We learn that a pair of young witches who lived 6,000 years ago, twins named Maharet and Mekare, could summon spirits. The spirit Amel took a particular liking to these twins. He proved his power to them, even “biting” their skin, showing he had a taste for blood. Eventually, Queen Akasha attacked their tribe for practicing ritualistic cannibalism in the form of massive funeral feasts, where the community consumed the heart and the brain of the deceased.

RELATED ARTICLE

THE VAMPIRE LESTAT’S Backstory, Explained in Linear Fashion

As revenge, the twin witches summoned Amel, who haunted the kingdom of Kemet. And by haunting, we mean Amel brought a destructive, Poltergeist-style haunting that caused actual damage. After Akasha had the twins assaulted and tortured as punishment, Amel became even angrier and fused with Akasha’s brain, heart, and blood, creating what vampires would later refer to as “the Sacred Core” of the vampire species in the world of The Vampire Lestat. It’s this sacred core that is necessary for the continued survival of vampires. But once Amel fused with Akasha, his personality went dormant, as the Queen’s personality dominated. However, he wasn’t erased. He was simply waiting for his time.

Amel Finds a New Vampire Host in Mekare AMC

In the year 1985, the twins, who had become vampires themselves, returned to exact their revenge on Queen Akasha. But since Akasha held the Sacred Core, killing her meant destroying what remained of the vampire species along with her. To avoid this fate, one of the twins, Mekare, decapitated Akasha and ate her brain and heart. Since vampires don’t really ingest food like humans, the brain and heart remained inside Mekare, fusing with her own blood, and she became the new Queen of the Damned. Her survival, and, in a sense, the survival of Amel, meant also the continued survival of the vampire species. And thus, the vampires continued for several decades with Mekare as the holder of the Sacred Core/Amel.

Amel Reemerges in Prince Lestat (2014) AMC

Sadly, Mekare suffered brain damage from thousands of years of lying dormant in the Earth. Within Mekare, Amel’s personality re-emerged. Amel became simply “the Voice” and began causing trouble as he telepathically urged the stronger, ancient vampires to slaughter the younger ones. Amel found one particularly ancient vampire, Rhoshamandes, and had him kill Maharet, the other twin. Amel wanted to reside within Rhoshamandes, whom he could control better. But after several developments, Mekare gave permission for Lestat to kill her and take in the Sacred Core of Amel himself. Lestat becomes Prince Lestat, and now the new source of power for the vampire species. Amel comes to live inside of him and the parasitic relationship between the spirit and his host is… an intense one.

Anne Rice writes:

Amel laughed softly inside me. “You are my beloved,” he whispered.

I stood silent, feeling a slow subtle movement inside of my body, as if some fine tangle of tendrils were moving purposefully out of my brain and down the length of my spine and then out again through my limbs. I could see this as I felt it, see its subtle golden electric pulse.

Out of the depths of my soul, my soul that was the sad and struggling sum of all I’d ever known, I felt my own voice yearning to say, And I will never be alone again.

“No, you will never,” said the Voice, “you will never be alone again.

But this change does not last very long.

Amel’s True Sci-Fi Origin Story Revealed in Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)

In Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis, we learn Amel’s true origin. And it is quite wild. Anne Rice goes into pure sci-fi territory for Amel’s actual backstory. We learn that he wasn’t always a disembodied spirit at all. He was born a human in 12,000 BC, eventually abducted by an avian-like alien species called “The Parents.” They altered his DNA, fusing it with that of Replimoids, humanoid immortal creations made by The Parents. They sent Amel back to Earth to post listening stations for them, and to halt barbaric early humans from achieving higher technology. But Amel turned on The Parents, and decided to share what he knew with primitive humans. He created a paradise of advanced technology, which he called Atalantaya. Yes, that is the source for modern-day myths about Atlantis.

Amel and Lestat’s Bond Severed in Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis

Eventually, The Parents punish Amel for his disobedience. They destroy Atalantaya, and him with it. But because of the enhancements they gave him, derived from an alien polymer called Luracastria, his essence survived. Eventually, Amel forgot what he was when he was an enhanced human, and became the invisible spiritual being that eventually fused with Akasha, creating the vampiric race.

In the modern day, the vampire doctor, Fahreed Bensali, found a way to sever the Sacred Core from Amel and from Lestat without killing off the rest of the vampires. Fahreed finds a way to replicate a Replimoid body for Amel, which looks uncannily like both his original body and a bit like Lestat, where he continues to reside and study humanity. Amel visits Lestat in Paris, where he first became a vampire many centuries ago, severing his last tie with the undead species he accidentally created.

RELATED ARTICLE

THE VAMPIRE LESTAT’s Major Character Deaths

Will we see any of the more recent sci-fi elements of Amel’s backstory appear in AMC’s Anne Rice Immortal Universe or in future seasons of The Vampire Lestat? Many of those came from later novels. But the series has been dipping into material from much later Anne Rice novels, so anything is possible. It does seem like Lestat will meet Amel for certain. But perhaps the series will keep its origins to simply a disembodied demon. Or maybe, aliens!

In the meantime, The Vampire Lestat continues to drop new episodes on AMC and AMC+ on Sunday nights.

The post Who Is ‘Amel’ in THE VAMPIRE LESTAT? appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• The first LEGO Pokémon Minifigures have arrived in the new Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball set. They are Red, Picnicker, and Professor Oak.

It’s an exciting day for Pokémon and LEGO fans. Recently, there have been many historic firsts in the partnership between these iconic brands. But now, we finally have the first-ever Pokémon LEGO minifigures! Minifigures are among the most iconic LEGO innovations of the past few decades. When they first appeared on the scene in 1978, Minifigures sent the LEGO world into a tizzy. And can you blame fans? Who doesn’t love a tiny model? After several Pokémon sets from LEGO, including LEGO Eevee, LEGO Pikachu, and the iconic LEGO Evolutions set, we finally have Minifigures from this iconic franchise as well. What are the first LEGO Pokémon Minifigures, you ask? Why, they’re three characters from the video games… And two fan-favorite Pokémon in all their adorable glory. Let’s take a look at LEGO’s Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball and its seminal Pokémon Trainer Minifigures.

LEGO We Love These New LEGO Pokémon Minifigures

So, who are the first LEGO Pokémon Minifigures? They are Red, Picnicker, and Professor Oak, plus Eevee and Pikachu. Professor Oak, of course, needs no introduction. Whether you’re a fan of the Pokémon video games OR the TV show, you know of this lovable mentor figure who helps set Ash on his journey to become a Pokémon Master. Red, meanwhile, is the player character in the Generation I Pokémon games: Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow. Red also returns as the male character option in Generation III remakes, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. And now you can play with him in real life in your new Pokémon LEGO set. Lastly, Picnicker is a kind of Pokémon trainer from the Generation 1 games. Of course, we NEED Pokémon Minifigures in a Pokémon LEGO set. And that’s where Eevee and Pikachu Minifigures come in to join the fun.

We stan these nostalgic Pokémon icons and are glad to see them arrive as LEGO Minifigures.

RELATED ARTICLE

LEGO Pokémon Sets Breakdown: Training Tech, Easter Eggs, and More The Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball Is a Trainer’s Dream Click To View Gallery LEGO LEGO LEGO LEGO LEGO

But, of course, there’s more to this new Pokémon LEGO set than its Minifigures. The Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball LEGO set lets you literally build a Poké Ball from LEGOs. And that sounds like a ton of fun. The official description reveals:

Unlock the magic of the Pokémon Trainer journey with the Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball (72154). This building set for adults is bursting with authentic details and cool features, including Red, Picnicker, Professor Oak, Eevee and Pikachu minifigures to create epic Pokémon decor with classic characters. Open the Poké Ball with easy precision to reveal a battle scene in the bottom half and a recreation of Professor Oak’s laboratory in the top section, including a library, computers, 3 molded Poké Balls and 2 Pokédex tiles. The display stand is designed to make the large Poké Ball model look as if it has been thrown to the ground, just like in the game. Add to your own video game decor collection or treat another adult Pokémon fan to this impressive birthday, holiday or any day gift idea. For an added digital experience, the LEGO® Builder app allows users to zoom, rotate in 3D, track progress and follow digital instructions. This set contains 2,386 pieces.

When Can You Buy This New LEGO Set?

The Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball LEGO set is now available to pre-order. It will release on October 1, 2026. The cost of this new LEGO Pokémon set is $299.99. We can’t wait to build this one and catch all the new Pokémon LEGO Minifigures inside.

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!

The post LEGO POKÉMON Minifigures are Here in New Poké Ball Set appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• The highest-grossing Terminator movie is coming back to theaters.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in the early-90s AI-takeover movie.
• No new Terminator content has come out since 2019.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was certainly not kidding when he said “I’ll be back.” In honor of the iconic sequel’s 35th anniversary, T-800 will return to the big screen in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The movie has received plenty of love from fans and critics, winning four Oscars and boasting a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90%. The audience score is even better at 95%.

Carolco Pictures/ Lightstorm Entertainment/Pacific Western Productions/Studio Canal

The sequel to the 1984 Terminator, Judgment Day is the highest-grossing movie in the franchise. Judgment Day is more than just an action film—coming out in 1991, it was a reflection of the fears of the time, with more and more advanced tech looming on the horizon. It takes the public’s fascination with robots, explored in other 1980s movies like Blade Runner and Tron, and introduces a fear of being overtaken by our own creations.

RELATED ARTICLE

Puzzle Over the Complete TERMINATOR Franchise Timeline

Now, more than ever, the same fear is valid. In a world where people willingly give up their power and ability to think for themselves to AI, a movie like this is sorely needed.

“I believe it’s safe to do spoilers after 35 years, so SPOILER ALERT: the good guys win against the AI superintelligence!” said director James Cameron. “And maybe that’s a message of hope we all could use this summer.”

Judgment Day was hardly the end of the franchise, with four more movies coming out after its release. The most recent movie, Dark Fate, was actually a direct sequel to Judgment Day. Now, Cameron is working on yet another installment to the franchise. In an interview with io9, he said he believes the topic still very relevant.

“Science fiction has caught up and is actually overwhelming us at this point. We’re living in a science fiction world, and we’re literally having to deal with problems that in the past only existed in science fiction books and movies. Now we’re living it for real.”

If we can’t have the new one now, we’ll settle for watching the franchise’s highest-rated movie on the big screen. Terminator 2: Judgment Day will return to theaters starting on August 28 until early September, in honor of the movie’s “judgment day” date (Aug. 29).

The post TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY Coming Back To Theaters appeared first on Nerdist.