The Nerdist

LEGO and Pokémon are teaming up for a dozen incredible new sets that use SMART play technology. It allows you to truly bring your favorite Pokémon characters to life and become their trainer. You can even feed them and give them a little tickle, too. Fans can pre-order their sets now and look forward to their release in August. 

Of course, the journey to bring LEGO Pokémon SMART play sets to the masses has been years in the making and included a ton of research, development, and careful designing. We attended a LEGO Pokémon demo event in London and had the pleasure of speaking with LEGO Group Designers Siddharth Muthyala and Mike Anderson about their love for Pokémon, what they learned from kids during testing, and Easter eggs that will spark joy. 

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Nerdist: I am curious about the research and development process that you went through. Take me back to how you came up with designs and worked with kids to bring this project to life? 

Siddharth Muthyala: It’s been several years of development. Mike and I have been part of this project since the beginning and, at LEGO, anything we do, we play test. So each time we build a prototype or a new model, we take it to children and get feedback. It’s not so much testing and researching, it’s more like co-creation. 

As we do our play tests, we’re learning from what they’re telling us and we’re also taking notes on what they want from us… We take a Pokémon and we ask, “What stories do you tell with Squirtle?” And we bring that feedback into play sets that we design. So it’s been a process of almost bi-weekly checking in with the kids, the fans, and having them tell their stories of how they would play with each Pokémon and trying to bring that to life. 

LEGO/The Pokémon Company

Mike Anderson: Of course we are also very inspired by the original animation and the games as well. In the very beginning, we brought in a lot of the game mechanics. For example, you would like, like as a gamer, we thought, okay, you would heal the Pokémon until it was fully healed. And then you would stop because that’s what you do in the game. But then when we bring that into a kids room, they just continue. The kids see it differently. In a game, we would maybe have a limit to how many times you can heal in a battle because that’s a gaming kind of way of thinking.

But the kids are like, “I want to decide that. ” So we wanted to make this open play experience where it’s the kids that make their journey. It’s them who are controlling the narrative, the story. Do they start battle and then go training or do they do training first and then battle? It’s really focusing on how they are playing with it, what are the stories they have in their head, and how can we then bring that to life with the SMART brick and these sets.

Nerdist

Muthyala: Also the Pokémon universe is so rich, right? There’s so many stories you can tell. There are thousands of Pokémon and they all behave differently, they all have their own stories. For us it’s all about bringing that to life and for us we can build that. 

Absolutely. Of course, these sets have some pretty iconic Pokémon like Pikachu. How did you go about narrowing down which core characters to use in these LEGO sets?

Muthyala: We have an amazing partnership with Qualcomm One Company International. The company has a lot of data and insights as well on which Pokémon that fans love. Over a couple of years, each time we brought kids in to play, we also had a little questionnaire and asked about their favorites. At the point when we had like over a hundred children coming in, patterns began to emerge and then we started choosing from there. 

Anderson: We also want a lineup where there’s something for everyone together. We wanted to represent the universe. Pokémon are different types and sizes. There are some that can fly, others that can walk, some that can hover. So we were trying to create a lineup where when you start combining them, it feels complete. 

LEGO/The Pokémon Company

I love the variety offered in the sets! During your testing phase, were there things that happened with the kids that were funny or perhaps made you think differently about future choices? 

Anderson: I remember when we brought Jigglypuff into the room, kids were like, Okay, now I need all the Pokémon!” They started singing and they would lie them down to sleep… So they take the story with them into the playroom and then they play it out. It really showed that each character sort of has a universe on its own and the kids tapped into the different aspects of it. 

We have seen like tests where afterwards instead of hi-fiving Sid to say thanks for playing, they go and hi-five Jigglypuff. They would say, “Can you please take care of Jigglypuff?” because they’d spent time with it. 

That’s adorable! 

Muthyala: For me, it was the amount of active play with the kids. We developed a battle system. There’s a lot of fun strategy in there with how you attack and defend. Children were standing up and super active and we didn’t expect that. The Pokémon would sometimes break. So we would have to go back and redesign the Pokémon. Charizard was redesigned maybe a hundred times to make sure it’s still fun even when it breaks and you can put it back together really quickly, but also we didn’t want it to break as much. So we’ve designed all the Pokémon so that they are easy to hold and play with.

LEGO/The Pokémon Company

I love it. What are both of your personal relationships with Pokémon? Were you able to slip some cool Easter eggs into these LEGO Pokémon sets? 

Muthyala: I’m a lifelong fan. I’ve been playing with Pokémon for the past 30 years. Games have been my passion… In terms of Easter eggs, the biggest one for me is the SMART tags. Internally we call them the heart, the soul of the Pokémon. So each Pokémon has a unique SMART tag. Originally they were just a tag with Squirtle’s face as an icon, but then we added the type icons, like a little water logo in there. And then we said ‘Let’s add the Pokédex number because that’s important.’ Every design is unique to that Pokémon and they all have a little type icon and their unique Pokédex number in there. That’s sort of Easter egg-like for me.

Anderson: You should go and try and put a smart ring into Jigglypuff, who wakes up slightly differently than the others. The same with Mewtwo If you try to feed Mewtwo, just see what happens!

The post LEGO Designers on Creating Pokémon SMART Play Sets appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Jem and the Holograms will be the latest ’80s toy and cartoon to get live-action adaptation with a series in development at Amazon MGM Studios.

Amazon MGM Studios is continuing its trend of getting into live-action programming based on ’80s cartoons and toys. After Masters of the Universe and the upcoming Voltron, they are now developing a series based on the hit animated series and toyline, Jem. The news comes to us via Deadline. This series is being made in conjunction with Hasbro, and they describe it as an “elevated live-action take” on the classic cartoon. Surprisingly, Westworld producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy are producing. The show is titled Jem and the Holograms, whereas the original show was simply called Jem.

Hasbro

The original Jem property was Hasbro’s way of making a dent in Barbie’s reign in the fashion doll market. As was customary in the ’80s, they partnered with an animation studio to produce a series to sell the brand. The show centered on a music industry executive named Jerrica, who used hologram technology to create a light-projected new identity for herself as the rock star Jem. Together with her “truly outrageous” band, the Holograms, she navigated romance and adventure. All while making music videos and topping the charts. In her way were rival “bad girl” rockers the Misfits, who insisted in the theme song that their songs were better. (They were better.)

The original Jem cartoon ran for three seasons, starting in 1985, bringing the MTV aesthetic to kids. The dolls sold well, but Barbie still reigned supreme. Fun fact: When Mattel learned Hasbro was creating Jem, they pushed their own Barbie and the Rockers brand out in stores first. A shady move worthy of the Misfits. A Jem movie, directed by Wicked‘s Jon M. Chu, came out in 2015, but it left out much of what fans loved about the show. It subsequently tanked at the box office. But maybe Jem and the Holograms will fare better. The audience for these ’80s cartoon IPs is now between the ages of 45 and 55. And they prefer to watch streaming fare rather than go to the movies. We have a feeling Jem will do better on Prime Video than in theaters this time around.

The post JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS Being Developed as Live-Action Series appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Netflix announced Dan Aykroyd has joined the streamer’s upcoming 3D-animated Ghostbusters series, debuting in 2027, as an executive producer.

In the summer of 2024, Netflix announced it was officially developing a new 3D-animated Ghostbusters series. Since then we haven’t learned much more about the show, including when we would see it. But now we at least know what year it will debut. More importantly, we know the most important member of pop culture’s most famous specter hunters will be prominently involved. Netflix has revealed that Ghostbusters creator, Ray Stantz himself, Dan Aykroyd has joined the show, titled Ghostbusters: Night Shift, as an executive producer.

Netflix provided a rundown of what fans can expect from the streaming site at this summer’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. That’s where Netflix will debut new looks for its upcoming animated projects. That will include sneak peeks at notable projects like Ricky Gervais’ Alley Cats, Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory, its anime slate, and Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn. It will also be where we finally get to see literally anything from its long-awaited Ghostbusters cartoon.

Sony Pictures

The streamer will debut footage from the show at the Thétre Bonlieu on Wednesday, June 24. Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan, who have led the two recent sequels, will be in attendance. They are both executive producers on the series, which also comes from Sony Pictures Animation.

Columbia Pictures Television

Now Netflix has shared that Aykroyd is also taking on an official positions. He will also fill an EP role on the show. Ben Hibon, Elliott Kalan, and Amie Karp also serve as executive producers. And that’s as much as we know beyond the small description Ntflix provided. It says the show is a “high end animated series based on the beloved Ghostbusters IP” that will arrive in 2027.

That’s still a long time to wait for a show that’s been in development for years. But maybe that’s a good thing. It gives Ghostbusters‘ creator more time to work on it.

Originally published on May 7, 2026.

The post Netflix’s GHOSTBUSTERS Animated Series Reveals Title and Logo appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• The Scooby gang is getting a new look in the live-action Scooby-Doo: Origins series, which will make its way to Netflix soon.

Jinkies! The Mystery Gang is back together and ready to solve more mysteries. Netflix announced the four faces set to play those meddling kids. Grab the Scooby Snacks and get your investigating caps on, ’cause we got some work to do now. Mckenna Grace, Tanner Hagen, Abby Ryder Fortson, and Maxwell Jenkins join the cast for Netflix’s live-action Scooby-Doo series. Cue the intro music. And now, we know that there will be an actual puppy playing Scooby-Doo, thanks to this teaser:

First look at Scooby in the upcoming series #ScoobyDoo: Origin.

Premiering on Netflix in 2027. pic.twitter.com/QlX0LePAQG

— Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 (@RottenTomatoes) June 8, 2026

Variety also reports that Paul Walter Hauser will star in this series as well in an undisclosed role. He is a series regular, so don’t expect him to just be the villain of the episode. Scooby-Doo: Origins and began production in Atlanta in April 2026 and will premiere sometime in 2027.

Warner Bros. Animation

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Scooby-Doo is as beloved as they come. What started as a cartoon about four mystery-solving teenagers and their lovable dog grew into an empire Toys, snacks, crossovers, a string of live-action movies, and several more cartoons followed. The first movie came in 2002, casting Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, Linda Cardellini as Velma, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy, and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Fred. The four remain inseparable from those roles even today. That leaves some pretty big shoes to fill for the four newcomers.

Netflix

Netflix announced the cast for the new series on March 18. Mckenna Grace is Daphne Blake, Tanner Hagen is Shaggy Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson is Velma Dinkley, and Maxwell Jenkins is Fred Jones. Here is Netflix’s official synopsis for the upcoming series:

“A modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their very special dog. During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder. Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma, and the strange, but ever so handsome new kid, Freddy, they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.”

Where Do I Know Netflix’s Live-Action Scooby-Doo: Origins Cast From? Prime Video/Paramount Pictures/Netflix/Blink&Miss Productions

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The newest names attached to the pop culture powerhouse are all young actors, but you may recognize them from this or that. Maxwell Jenkins played Will Robinson in Netflix’s Lost in Space and more recently starred alongside Kevin Bacon in The Bondsman. Tanner Hagen appeared in an episode of The Pitt. Abby Ryder Fortson (also in an episode of The Pitt) is most famous for her leading role in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Finally, Mckenna Grace is in… well, honestly everything. She’s probably one of the most famous child actors of our (my) generation. Most recently, she was in Scream 7, Regretting You, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and will play a role in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.

Warner Bros. Animation

Netflix’s live-action Scooby Doo series is in collaboration with Warner Bros. Television. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenber will be its showrunners and executive producers. While we may never be able to separate the original cast from their iconic roles, it’ll be exciting to see a new take on the classic. All we need now is a Scooby-Doo reveal. Filming is slated to begin soon.

Originally published on March 19, 2026.

The post SCOOBY-DOO: ORIGINS Series Drops First Teaser Featuring Scooby-Doo appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Marlon Wayans revealed that the role of Cindy in Scary Movie was supposed to go to Melissa Joan Hart, but his brother Keenan wanted Anna Faris to play the character.

Scary Movie is stirring up laughs (and maybe some groans) in theaters. Fans of the franchise have waited a long time to see some of their favorite characters return, like Anna Faris’ Cindy. She’s been a staple in the films as a main character since the beginning, but Faris almost didn’t get the role. Marlon Wayans revealed that Melissa Joan Hart was supposed to be Cindy in the Scary Movie franchise, but his brother Keenan advocated for Anna Faris to get the role instead. 

ABC/Dimension Films

It’s pretty hard to imagine anyone else besides Faris’ as the well-meaning yet rather dimwitted Cindy in the Scary Movie franchise. Her comedic timing and facial expressions are impeccable and a huge reason why the films became so popular. But it would have made a lot of sense to have Melissa Joan Hart in the role as well.

She can be quite funny when given the chance and, more importantly, her name would have been a huge draw for audiences. Hart was well known for her starring role in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, so playing Cindy would have been a huge departure from her family friendly sitcom roots. And it would have been incredibly funny to see her fight a black cat in Scary Movie 2 considering she had a black cat in the series.

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Marlon Wayans’ admission of this was a surprise to both Faris and his brother Shawn Wayans. And, in classic Marlon fashion, he joked that Faris did a good job of taking a job from another white lady. Now, it would be interesting to see what Melissa Joan Hart’s thoughts are about all of this. Scary Movie is pulling in box office numbers so we are sure that Anna Faris will be able to keep playing Cindy in the coming years.

The post Melissa Joan Hart Was Supposed to Play Cindy in SCARY MOVIE appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• An Adventure Time movie and two spinoff series are currently in the works. Little is known yet about the film project.
• The two spinoff series are Adventure Time Side Quests and Adventure Time Heyo BM. These two series are geared toward kids.

Lovers of Adventure Time may have a big reason to rejoice. An Adventure Time movie is in the works. According to a release from Warner Bros. Discovery, The Adventure Time Movie is officially a go. While we don’t have many details yet, The Adventure Time Movie includes animation talent like Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar, Over the Garden Wall creator Patrick McHale, and Adventure Time showrunner Adam Muto. All of these creative talents have worked on Adventure Time before. In addition to the Adventure Time Movie, two other spinoff series are in the works.

Table of contents

• The Adventure Time Movie Description
• Other Adventure Time Spinoff Series in the Works
  • Adventure Time: Side Quests (Kids series, Cartoon Network)
  • Adventure Time: Heyo BMO (Preschool series, Cartoon Network)

The Adventure Time Movie Description

As mentioned, we don’t know too much about what this Adventure Time movie will include, but a release notes that its current description is as follows: “Jake and Finn embark on their greatest adventure yet.” We can’t wait to see what that will mean.

Warner Bros.Other Adventure Time Spinoff Series in the Works

In addition to an Adventure Time movie, two spinoff series are also said to be in development. First up is Adventure Time: Side Quests, which will take viewers back to when Finn was a daydreaming child who went on fantasy adventures with his best friend, Jake the Dog. This Adventure Time series will have standalone episodes “starring early versions of fan-favorite characters, including the sometime-villain The Ice King.” In addition, Adventure Time: Heyo BMO will be a series aimed toward younger children featuring BMO.

You can check out the full information we have about them so far below:

Adventure Time: Side Quests (Kids series, Cartoon Network)Hulu

• Description: Adventure Time: Side Quests takes the Adventure Time franchise back to the early days when Finn was just a kid, excited to fight monsters and go on epic quests with his best buddy Jake. In stand-alone episodes, our heroes take on classic Adventure Time villains like The Ice King and re-connect with stand-out side characters from the original series.
• Creative Talent: Nate Cash
• Studio: Cartoon Network Studios

Adventure Time: Side Quests will officially release on June 29. You can watch the trailer below.

A release further notes:

A companion to the beloved original, Emmy®, Peabody, and Annie Award-winning series Adventure Time, the new series follows young hero Finn and his magical dog best friend Jake as they embark on adventures across the fantastical land of Ooo — partying with cloud people and punching evil in the butt along the way.

Adventure Time captivated audiences with its heartfelt storytelling, playful humour, and richly creative world. AdventureTime: Side Quests builds on the spirit of the early seasons, delivering lighter, self-contained adventures. Designed to introduce a new generation of fans to the land of Ooo, whilst giving existing fans more of what they love, the series brings standalone, silly quests and playful challenges – celebrating the joyful chaos of Finn and Jake’s adventures.

Finn the Human is voiced by Sasha Knight and John DiMaggio returns as the voice of Jake the Dog. The series will also reunite fan-favourite characters including Ice King (Tom Kenny), Princess Bubblegum (Hynden Walch), Marceline (Olivia Olson), and BMO (Niki Yang).

Showrunner and Executive Producer, Nate Cash said: “Making Side Quests felt like making the original Adventure Time, which felt like hanging out with art school buddies making professional cartoons. That sounds like a big sandwich of feelings, and it was! You’re going to love these NEW adventures with Finn & Jake!”

Adventure Time: Heyo BMO (Preschool series, Cartoon Network)

• Description: In the fantastical Land of Ooo, the little robot BMO is on a new adventure! Now settled in a new neighborhood with new friends, BMO approaches each challenge he faces with his unique brand of enthusiasm and curiosity in a quest to learn and fill his database.
• Creative Talent: Adam Muto, Ashlyn Anstee
• Studio: Cartoon Network Studios

We’ll be excited to hear more about all of these upcoming Adventure Time offerings.

Originally published on June 12, 2024.

The post ADVENTURE TIME Movie in the Works, Plus 2 Spinoff Series appeared first on Nerdist.

There are so many ways to dive into the Doctor Who fandom. The show has decades of episodes and various points that are easy for new fans to hop into. There are a slew of Big Finish Audio dramas that either expand stories that we wished we saw onscreen or introduce new elements of the Whoniverse altogether. Do you like comics and games? There are plenty of Doctor Who ones to enjoy. But if you’re into hands-on projects and love to celebrate your Who devotion, then Crochet AmiguWHOmi: Adventures in Time and Space by Liz Ward is perfect for you. Crochet AmiguWHOmi: Adventures in Time and Space, by Liz Ward; published by Ten Speed Press, 2026

This book is full of crochet projects to craft iconic characters and objects from the franchise’s various eras. It’s the perfect way to vibe out, flex your creative muscles, and create something that’s worthy of display in your abode. We have exclusive excerpts from Crochet AmiguWHOmi to highlight two beloved figures from Doctor Who: the TARDIS and companion Rose Tyler. 

As we all know, the TARDIS is one of the most famous spaceships in pop culture history. It has been a mainstay in Doctor Who since the show’s first episode premiered in 1963. While it has gone through some regenerations of its own in the inside, the police box exterior looks mostly the same, thanks to that broken chameleon circuit. Crochet AmiguWHOmi gives you a nice breakdown of the TARDIS’ history and shows you how to make your own crochet version step-by-step. Here’s a peek at some of those steps as well as the finished product: 

Ten Speed PressTen Speed Press

When it comes to modern era companions, Rose Tyler ranks high among the fandom’s faves for good reason. For many of us, she was the first companion that they ever met over twenty years ago. From a teenager who was bored with her life working in a shop to a time-traveling girl boss who ran straight towards dangerous otherworldly forces, Rose had an incredibly powerful arc that resonated with many younger Who fans.

Click To View Gallery Ten Speed Press Ten Speed Press Ten Speed Press

While she has so many classic looks, many of which are hard for cosplayers to find, Crochet AmiguWHOmi chose her Union Jack shirt look from “The Empty Child” and “The Doctor Dances” for this crochet project. 

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In addition to these projects, you can craft the Fourth Doctor’s iconic colorful scarf, a wee Cyberman or Dalek, and even a time vortex blanket. Crochet AmiguWHOmi will go on sale June 9, so get ready to spend your summer streaming Doctor Who and making cool creations. You can grab your copy right here.

The post Learn How to Make Your Own TARDIS With CROCHET AMIGUWHOMI (Exclusive) appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Scary Movie’s “Subservient Ghostface” website mocks Scream and AI by letting you control an actual human version of the iconic killer.

The new Scary Movie might not be for everyone, but its new website has something for everyone to enjoy. That’s because it will let you do almost anything you want. The parody franchise found yet another way to mock Scream. And it did so in a way that also mocks the latest installment in the horror series, which made AI a major plot point. You can get Scream‘s iconic killer to do whatever you want (sort of) at Subservient Ghostface, a very silly website that relies on good old-fashioned human silliness and not artificial intelligence.

Paramount Pictures

Subservient Ghostface is exactly what it sounds like. It features a slightly swaying sociopath in the legendary mask and black robes waiting for you to enter a prompt of no more than 50 characters. When you hit enter, it then follows your instructions. What makes it so funny is that it does not employ AI. This is not a computer-generated Ghostface. It’s a real person in a real costume who clearly acted out a whole lot of possible prompts in anticipation of what you might ask. I told it to make a cup of tea, and it pulled exactly that from behind its bath. I instructed Subservient Ghostface to do math, and the slasher whipped out a calculator. It then typed in “8008.”

Perfect.

Paramount Pictures

The broader your prompt, the more likely you are to get an appropriate response. But if you get really specific and weird by typing in something like “contemplate life” or “eat a stack of pancakes,” then Ghostface performs a non-sequitur, like running or laughing at you.

This is not only a very fitting way to promote Scary Movie. It also takes aim at the most recent Scream, which brought back long-dead characters via AI (in the world of the story, not in actuality). In that way, this Subservient Ghostface site makes fun of Scream in two very different ways.

Well three. Type in “make fun of Scream” to see the third. Subservient Ghostface will not let you down.

The post SCARY MOVIE ‘Subservient Ghostface’ Website Mocks SCREAM and AI 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.

AMC

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, squaring with me, “If they give us a season four, you’ll see it.”

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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.

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.

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

• The very first scene of The Vampire Lestat is quite cryptic, but based on Anne Rice’s later novels, we have some idea what is going on.

In the opening scene of episode one of The Vampire Lestat, we see a rather exclusive auction, one held for only the richest and most elite individuals on Earth. We presume this auction is being held by the Talamasca, the secret order of supernatural scholars. It’s held at an airport, and we see that even elements from the Vatican are bidding on this auction. They are auctioning off several recordings of The Vampire Lestat, not just his music, but also his spoken word confessions, labeled as “The Failures.” The auction is taking place in 2026, after a series of events the year prior have shattered the world, and (presumably) left Lestat dead. Or is he? Here’s what we gleaned for the future of this series based on just this opening scene.

Could Raglan James Really Be Lestat in The Vampire Lestat’s First Scene? Body Swapping Exists in The Vampire ChroniclesAMC Networks

The character of Talamasca operative Raglan James first appeared in season one of Interview with the Vampire. But in Anne Rice’s novels, he doesn’t show up until book four, The Tale of the Body Thief. And Mr. James is the Body Thief in question. James is a psychic of considerable power who perfected a technique of “body swapping.” He exchanges bodies with Lestat in this novel, and then literally steals it, while Lestat rots away in a dying mortal form. The way Raglan James at the auction is giving meaningful glances to Louis in that scene makes us wonder if that’s now Lestat, now somehow in James’ body. And the (supposedly) dearly departed Brat Prince? Possibly not so dearly departed after all.

Armand Has Lost an Eye; Here’s Where Else We See Eyes Lost in Anne Rice’s Books

We see in the auction scene that Armand (Assad Zaman) is missing an eye, and wearing an eye patch. In Anne Rice’s canon, Lestat famously lost his eye once too. In the fifth Vampire Chronicles novel, Memnoch the Devil, the fallen angel takes Lestat on a harrowing journey through the realms of Heaven and Hell. When Lestat refuses Memnoch’s offer to be his right hand in Hell, he escapes back to our earthly reality.

AMC Networks

As Lestat attempts to escape, Memnoch plucks out Lestat’s left eye to prevent him from taking the Biblical Veil of Veronica, which he acquired during a time-traveling visit to Christ’s crucifixion. Memnoch eventually returned his eye to him. We’re not saying Armand had the same experience, but it’s not impossible.

Louis Is Missing His Leg. What Could That Point To?

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Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) is also there in the same auction, but with a missing leg. There’s no instance in the books where Louis loses a limb like this, but he may lose it when the vampires of the world descend on Lestat’s final performance, hoping to eliminate the rule-breaking Brat Prince for good. Louis stands by his man during this battle, and he may lose a leg at this point. Having said that, vampires can easily replace their limbs with those from other vampires. So we’re not sure why Louis doesn’t do just that. Then again, with Louis, he probably thinks he deserves to suffer.

“The Consequential Global Catastrophes”: What You Should KnowAMC Networks

The vampire community labels Lestat a heretic for revealing the true nature of their species to the world. They attack his final concert, packed with thousands of mortals. But before they can kill the Brat Prince, Queen Akasha awakens and sets them all on fire with her mind, not just at the concert, but all across the globe. These fires spread, destroying property and taking mortal lives everywhere around the world.

“The Attempted Extinction of the Y Chromosomes”: What Does That Mean?

This refers to Akasha’s “Grand Plan” in Queen of the Damned. While the Mother of all Vampires sat still like a statue for millennia, she was not truly catatonic. Her consciousness traveled from mortal body to body for thousands of years, witnessing humanity’s bloody history through the eyes of others. Akasha concluded that the culprit behind all wars and violence was the male sex. From the Crusades to the Holocaust, a man can claim blame. So when she rises again, she uses her Mind Gift to kill hundreds (if not thousands) of men. She plans to wipe out 95% of the males of the species, keeping just enough to keep humanity going. Akasha believes that if women rule the world, with herself as Queen of Heaven, world peace can be achieved. She doesn’t get far with this plot, but she kills hundreds around the world before she’s finally stopped.

The Vampire Lestat (or season three of Interview with the Vampire) is currently running on AMC and AMC+.

The post What Is Happening in the First Scene of THE VAMPIRE LESTAT appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• On AMC’s The Vampire Lestat, the Brat Prince’s backstory is told out of sequence, but we present to you Lestat’s history chronologically to help you make sense of this season of the show.

The Vampire Lestat has premiered its first episode on AMC, adapting Anne Rice’s second novel in her Vampire Chronicles series. This 1985 book truly made Lestat a star, elevating his undead status next to the likes of Dracula. Sam Reid reprises his role from Interview with the Vampire, with his backstory from the novel told largely in a non-linear fashion. So to help guide you through these tangled narrative vines, we present the undead rock star Lestat’s canonical history, as told by Anne Rice in The Vampire Lestat. We start with his birth in the 18th century and follow him until he meets Louis de Pointe du Lac in New Orleans.

Alfred A. Knopf/Ballantine BooksThe Mortal Life of Lestat de Lioncourt in 18th Century France

The mortal Lestat de Lioncourt was born on November 7, 1760. That’s the same birthday as Anne Rice’s husband Stan, who the character of Lestat is physically based on. (Louis shares Anne’s birthday of October 4.)  He was born the son of an aristocratic lord in the French countryside, in a place called the Auvergne. His family long ago had spent all their wealth. Lestat’s father was a cruel tyrant who married a much younger heiress from Italy named Gabrielle. She gave birth to several sons for him, many of whom died in childbirth. The youngest, and the only one who took after her (and not his father), was Lestat.

AMC Networks

Lestat aspired to be an artist and actor, completely different from his boorish brothers. Thus, he maintained a close relationship with his mother. When he grew to adulthood, he became the family hunter, protecting their ancestral lands. One day, when he was 21 years old (29 in the TV series), he saved the nearby village from a pack of eight wolves, who very nearly killed him. It was after this incident that Lestat discovered his mother was dying of consumption. As her last wish, she bequeathed all her jewels to Lestat, so he could run away to Paris and fulfill his dream of being an actor on stage.

AMC Networks Lestat’s Vampire Life Begins in Paris

Lestat and his childhood friend Nicolas de Lenfent, a cynical violinist who was now his lover, fled to the big city together. They both got work in a shabby theater in the heart of the city, where Lestat quickly became a rising star. Nicolas, meanwhile, sank further into depression as Lestat’s on-stage fame grew. One night, Lestat noticed a face in the audience stalking him, whispering the words “Wolfkiller” into his mind. One night, this being, who turned out to be a vampire, captured Lestat from his home and dragged him to his tower outside Paris. There, he forced him to become an undead being against his will. The Vampire Lestat was born.

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Lestat’s vampire maker, Magnus, was about 300 years old, and an outcast from vampiric society. He had grown tired of eternal life, and chose Lestat as his heir. In part because of his beautiful looks, but also for his bravery in killing the wolves. Once Lestat became a vampire, Magnus flung himself into the fire, ending his existence. Thus, leaving Lestat without a teacher. Lestat took to his vampire existence like a duck to water, killing the many thieves and scoundrels of Paris. He bought the theater he worked at, giving his fellow actors continued employment. But he kept his new vampiric nature a secret from his lover, Nicolas, and kept his distance.

AMC NetworksLestat Turns His Dying Mother into a Vampire

Eventually, Lestat’s mother, Gabrielle, came to Paris to see her son one last time and to spend her final nights there. On her deathbed, Lestat revealed his true nature to her, and turned her into a vampire. Gabrielle became his first fledgling and companion in immortality. The two made Paris their hunting ground, although they’d often hear the telepathic voices of other vampires in the city calling them outcasts and blasphemers. Eventually, these Parisian vampires attacked them directly.

AMC Networks Meeting Armand and the Children of Darkness

These vampires were cultists, who lived in the nearby cemetery of Les Innocents. They believed what their mentor, the ancient vampire Armand, had taught them. They considered themselves the Children of Satan, and they had to live among the dead, stay away from mortals (except to feed), and run from crucifixes, as Satan commanded. But Lestat didn’t obey any of those rules. And because of his and Gabrielle’s presence, they knew the “rules” Armand had been feeding them for centuries were all lies and superstitions. Lies Armand told them to keep the coven under his thumb.

With his hold of the coven shattered by Lestat, and its members fleeing, Armand tried to become the new companion of Lestat. He told Lestat how an ancient Roman vampire named Marius had transformed him when he was a slave boy in Renaissance Venice. The Satanic vampires of Italy set Marius on fire for living against their dogmatic rules, leaving him for dead, and they kidnapped the young Armand. They brainwashed him into believing in their religion, and Armand became a leader among the Children of Darkness. He never truly believed in their ways, but used their dogma to control his Satanic coven in Paris.

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Ultimately, Lestat rejected Armand, and transformed his lover, Nicolas, into a vampire. He did this despite Armand and Gabrielle warning him against it. Nicolas almost instantly went mad from the vampiric blood, and told Lestat that he resented and hated him for ever keeping it from him. Lestat and Gabrielle decided to leave Paris, but they left the theater he had bought to Armand and what remained of his coven. They transformed it into the Thétre des Vampires, where they acted out vampiric plays for Parisian mortal audiences who believed it all to be fake.

AMC Networks

Nicolas remained at the Thétre des Vampires, in Armand’s care, while Lestat and Gabrielle searched for Marius, Armand’s maker. Even though Armand told them he was killed by the Children of Darkness centuries earlier, they didn’t believe a vampire that ancient could be destroyed so easily. They searched together for years, and found no sign of Marius de Romanus anywhere on Earth. After Nicolas finally threw himself into the flames, and Gabrielle decided to leave her son to be a lone wolf, a despondent Lestat buried himself in the Earth, where he remained for years.

Warner Bros. Lestat Meets the Vampire Marius, Keeper of Akasha, Queen of the Damned

Eventually, Marius chose to reveal himself to Lestat, and pulled him out of the ground. He fed him his powerful blood and nurtured him back to health. He revealed himself as the keeper of “Those Who Must Be Kept,” also known as Queen Akasha and King Enkil of Egypt. Nearly 2,000 years prior, the scholar Marius was transformed into a vampire in ancient Rome. But only to become the new caretaker of Those Who Must Be Kept. This 6,000-year-old royal pair were the ancient progenitors of the vampire species, and all vampire bloodlines came from them. They no longer drank blood, or spoke, or moved, frozen like statues.

Lestat Arrives in New Orleans, Creates Louis and ClaudiaAMC Networks

Since their destruction meant the entire species would be destroyed, they needed to be kept secret and safe. Marius had been their keeper for millennia and entrusted Lestat with this knowledge. But he made him swear to never tell a living soul. When Lestat played Nicolas’ violin for Akasha, she awoke momentarily and let Lestat drink her powerful and ancient blood. This made the young Lestat one of the most powerful vampires on Earth, despite being so young. Marius then told Lestat to flee to the New World, someplace where barely any vampires existed. Someplace that even Akasha could not find him. And that’s when Lestat wound up in New Orleans, and met his fledgling Louis, and the events of Interview with the Vampire began.

If you’ve seen seasons one and two of Interview with the Vampire, or the 1994 film adaptation, you probably know what became of Lestat next. Of course, many things happen to Lestat after the events of book two, but we’ll have to wait and see if AMC plans to adapt those books as well.

The Vampire Lestat airs at 9 pm ET/PT on AMC and AMC+. You can also read The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice today as you wait for the next episode of the series to air.

Eric Diaz is a staff writer at Nerdist and a life-long Anne Rice fan. Yes, he is a member of the OG fan club.

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 VAMPIRE LESTAT’S Backstory, Explained in Linear Fashion appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• In AMC’s The Vampire Lestat, vampires have to pee. But do the undead have to go to the bathroom in the actual Anne Rice lore?

One thing that befuddled Interview with the Vampire fans from the trailer to The Vampire Lestat was the moment where we see Lestat peeing blood in a public urinal. Was this from a dream sequence? Since when do vampires need to urinate? Well, after the first episode of The Vampire Lestat, we’ve learned that yes, in the world of AMC’s Anne Rice Immortal Universe, the undead do have to take a leak sometimes.

Vampires Do Indeed Have to Pee in AMC’s The Vampire Lestat

Lestat does so in this episode, and he’s even accosted by two angry vampires peeing next to him. Lestat explains, via voice-over narration, that yes, vampires do indeed have to pee, just not as frequently as humans. Also, it’s hard to get blood out of eco-friendly urinals. Who knew?

AMC NetworksDo Vampires Urinate in Anne Rice’s Books?

So, is this an invention of the series, or do vampires pee in Anne Rice lore? The short answer is, in Rice’s books, they do not pee. But the TV series vampires deviate wildly from Rice’s take on vampire physiology already. For starters, Rice’s vampires have almost translucent skin, which exposes their veins, except for in the hours after they feed. They don’t eat, drink any fluids other than blood, or have to go to the bathroom for number one or number two. Rice vampires do cry, but only blood tears. They also sweat blood, but only under extreme duress. Most markedly different from Rice’s novels is that her vampires don’t have human sex. And on the show, they absolutely do. Although they admit that it’s way behind in terms of pleasure in comparison to blood consumption.

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Essentially, in Rice’s novels, vampires describe the act of taking blood as being a bit orgasmic, like sex (but not exactly), a bit like getting high off drugs, with accompanying hallucinations, and of course, it’s their food. But it’s all of those things, and yet also none of those things. Both Louis and Lestat have said it’s a state that they simply can’t explain to humans.

Do Anne Rice Vamps Have to Go to the Bathroom in the Movie Versions?

In the 1994 movie adaptation, Louis says of the transformation, “Might as well ask Heaven what it sees. No human can truly know.” The movie is more in keeping with Rice’s original take. We know they dont eat and drink. And we never see them needing a bathroom break. But the AMC series brings its vampires a bit more down to Earth. Although they do retain a lot of Rice’s supernatural powers, like telepathy, flight (among some of them), and the ability to start fires.

In the Anne Rice novel The Tale of the Body Thief, the Vampire Lestat becomes stuck in a human body for a prolonged time. He wanted to feel what it felt like to be human again after 200 years and change. Turns out, he romanticized being human and found that he actually hated it. He loathed getting sick, having no real strength, and how quickly sex acts were over. Oh, and the disgusting nature of having to poop and pee all the time. He really disliked that. He was glad to get back to his immortal body as soon as possible. But in the AMC series, if he ever goes through similar events in future seasons, he’ll at least have been used to peeing.

The Vampire Lestat airs at 9 pm ET/PT on AMC and AMC+.

Eric Diaz is a staff writer at Nerdist and a life-long Anne Rice fan. Yes, he is a member of the OG fan club.

The post Vamps Pee in THE VAMPIRE LESTAT, But Is It Anne Rice Canon? appeared first on Nerdist.

We’ve all been waiting with bated breath for The Vampire Lestat to arrive and continue the incredible world of AMC’s Immortal Universe. We knew this season would belong to Sam Reid, who captivates as Lestat in all his glory. Playing Lestat alone requires a chameleon of an actor, of course. The vampire has so many moods, modes, layers, and emotions, and they all move through him at the drop of the hat, often several at once. But if that weren’t enough, Sam Reid actually plays TWO roles in The Vampire Lestat. Yes, in addition to Lestat, Sam Reid also plays a mortal called Jarda in the series. But just who is The Vampire Lestat‘s Jarda? Why do we need him? And why do we love him? Let’s break down this Czechian karoke fanatic.

⚡ Quick Take

• Sam Reid actually plays two characters in The Vampire Lestat: Lestat and Jarda. But who is Jarda in The Vampire Lestat? We explain.

Who Is Sam Reid’s Second The Vampire Lestat Character, Jarda?

In short, Jarda is Lestat’s body double in The Vampire Lestat, so it only makes sense that Sam Reid plays him as well. But as far as everything else about Jarda goes, he could not be more different than Lestat. Jarda, in a word, is kind of a loser. Most of the time, he’s drunk and singing off-key to himself as he gets bossed around by Lestat’s right-hand woman, the tough-as-nails lawyer Christine Claire.

AMC

Lestat describes Jarda as a “brick-laying, karaoke fanatic from Oztrova.” And reveals that Christine found him working construction in the Czech Republic. He also makes sure we know that Jarda is three inches shorter than he is, and needs blue-eyed contacts (which he’s always forgetting to put in) and a wig to truly become Lestat. Or, in short, he’s “Neanderthal Lestat.”

Why Does Lestat Need Jarda in The Vampire Lestat?

It turns out that becoming a nice celebrity with a cult following is a bit of an issue when you’re a vampire. Suddenly, eyes are on you everywhere you go. And that makes hunting and killing people, or at least drinking their blood, a bit hard. That’s where Jarda comes in. If Lestat makes a mess, Christine sends Jarda to Applebee’s to order a tuna melt and take some selfies with fans, while Lestat hunts in the other direction. It’s a pretty good system for keeping suspicious eyes off our favorite diva vampire.

But What Is the True Purpose of Jarda in The Vampire Lestat?AMC

But, most importantly, The Vampire Lestat‘s Jarda is there to be very, very mortal. His chief job, beyond protecting Lestat from minor mishaps, is to be so painfully human that other mortals cease to question whether Lestat is a real vampire. Jarda is there to obscure Lestat’s true vampire nature and have the world come to believe that he is only a farce… A tribute to a figment of imagination born from Daniel Molloy’s mind. For the most part, Lestat notes that this works pretty well, as humans aren’t really that prone to doing much more than “huh-ing” at anything interesting before returning to their phones and algorithms. But, of course, some persist who won’t be swayed. Still, when Jarda is openly posing as Lestat in the open, it does make it kind of hard to believe vampires are real.

We Love Sam Reid as Jarda

In a season where Sam Reid is already doing so much, we didn’t really expect him to do even more. But we are obsessed with Sam Reid’s second role as Jarda in The Vampire Lestat. It really goes to show you HOW talented an actor Reid really is. Lestat, although quite changeable, NEVER approaches anything as bumbling and comedic as Jarda. And seeing Reid flex this muscle of his acting chops is absolutely a delight. Although Reid is literally playing Jarda AND Lestat, the two characters barely resemble one another. They literally feel like they are played by different people. And is that not the wonder of acting?

The Vampire Lestat is now releasing weekly on Sundays at 9p ET/PT on AMC and AMC+.

Rotem Rusak is Editor-in-Chief of Nerdist and a huge fan of The Vampire Lestat. She can’t wait for everyone to watch this season.

The post Sam Reid Plays TWO Roles in The Vampire Lestat appeared first on Nerdist.

The Vampire Lestat has returned to us, and with it a fresh batch of tangled vampiric relationships. Throughout the first episode of the series, we see Lestat texting a mysterious person simply labeled as “Toi” on his phone. These texts take on an increasingly intense urgency, which corresponds to Lestat’s levels of loneliness and distress. Of course, for much of the episode, fans might imagine the person Lestat is texting is his longtime companion and lover, Louis. I was lucky enough to watch the first episode of The Vampire Lestat with 2,000 or so other fans at The Vampire Lestat Concert, and judging by the “awwwwws” that came after some of the texts were shown on screen, Louis was a much-hoped-for “Toi” contender. But in the end, who was the person Lestat was texting throughout the first episode of The Vampire Lestat? Here’s the identity of Lestat’s Toi and the ending of The Vampire Lestat episode one, explained.

⚡ Quick Take

• In the ending of The Vampire Lestat episode one, the mysterious person that Lestat is texting is revealed to be his mother/fledgling Gabriella.
• Gabriella and Lestat exchange a series of texts under the names “Moi” and “Toi,” which we have transcribed below.
• Ultimately, these texts reveal that Gabriella doesn’t necessarily have Lestat’s best interests at heart and that she allows him to break down and spiral for some time before finally coming to him.

The Ending of The Vampire Lestat 1 Reveals the Identity of “Toi”

Moi and Toi, me and you, in French. Moi, of course, is Lestat, and Toi, the end of The Vampire Lestat episode reveals, is the Vampire Gabriella. Alas, not Louis.

AMC

Throughout episode one of The Vampire Lestat, Lestat reaches out to Toi/Gabriella by text, asking for her company. At first, when he is merely bored and annoyed (though obviously lonely) on his tour, his texts are idle and more removed. But throughout the first episode of the series, Lestat’s emotional state deteriorates, culminating in something of a breakdown on stage, followed by a rough aftermath. The sound of his own music moves through him, unleashing all the “muses” of his past to swirl through his thoughts, taunting and haunting him. On top of that, Lestat manages to bite his fan Baby Jenks, who is HIGH on “candy.” And if a vampire drinks the blood of a drugged mortal, they’ll overdose as well. Lestat sees visions of Baby Jenks’ soul floating on the ceiling, has a lot of spirited sex, and ends up getting in a spat with the local Detroit coven, the Tooth Team, excuse us, the Fang Gang. After that, he accidentally outs himself as a vampire to his band and flies out the window in a tizzy to throw up blood in a run-down motel.

And then, at Lestat’s lowest, most desperate point, THAT’s when the vampire Gabriella, or Toi, as we know her from Lestat’s texts, decides to finally make her appearance. The Vampire Lestat episode one ends with Gabriella arriving in the hotel room and a very performative Lestat telling her, “I got myself into something I can’t get out of. Music’s opened up the dutch oven, and I’m not sure if I can close it again. I’m not really at my best, but it’s very nice to see you again. I like what you’ve done with your hair, my Gabriella.” Gabriella heals a cut on Lestat’s face and then draws him into an eager makeout. The voiceover from Lestat supplies for us that Gabriella is his “Fledgling, lover, mother.” Welcome to the Vampire Chronicles, new Fledglings.

What Do Lestat’s Texts to Gabriella Say?AMC

Before we get into the full identity of the Vampire Gabriella in The Vampire Lestat and what episode one’s ending means for the show, we thought you might want to read all the texts that she and Lestat pass between one another as Moi and Toi without squinting at your screens. Buckle down, it’s a painful read.

Text 1:

• Toi: Saw a video of your show last night
• Moi: And?
• Toi: Helped my insomnia.
• Moi: Who is this again?
• Toi: At least I’m thinking about you.
• Moi: Ready to drain my fucking lead guitarist.
• Toi: And where are you tonight?
• Moi: Right of Rome, Wisconsin
• Moi: Left of London, Ontario
• Toi: Stuck in the mud again.

Text 2:

• Moi: The Rapture has descended upon Detroit!
• Moi: I’m staying in a hotel called Dracula’s Daughter.
• Moi: The minibar has vodka and feminine products called Vampons.
• Moi: I miss you. Come to me.
• Moi: Typed and erased: It’s been too long… I need you. I’m struggling.
• MoI: It’s been too long.

Text 3:

• Toi: I’ve found myself in Chicago.
• Moi: Still in Detroit. Meert innkallamazzo? 🙂

Text 4:

• Toi: Expectations.
• Moi: None. Nothing. Just sit with me.
• Moi: Please!
• Moi: Please I need you
• Moi: Please
• Moi: Please find me!
• Moi: Starfight Inn, room 12,3664 12 Sandwich St. Windsor. Starlight Inn. I’m not well.
• Moi: I.
• Moi: Love.
• Moi: You.
• Moi: Forget it. I’m fine. Hell with you.

Text 5:

• Toi: I’m here.
• Moi: Where?”

Who Is The Vampire Gabriella?

As Lestat informs us, Gabriella is “Fledgling, lover, and mother” to Lestat. Yes, the vampire Gabriella is literally Lestat’s mother. Technically, though, he’s her Vampiric Maker and she his first fledgling, so their relationship is quite tangled in many different ways. In the Vampire Chronicle books, lover, as we understand it through a mortal lens, wasn’t specifically part of the relationship between Lestat and Gabriella (known as Gabrielle in Anne Rice’s writings). But that’s because Anne Rice’s vampires didn’t have actual sex with one another. But in The Vampire Lestat, they certainly do, and they take great pleasure in it. And that puts lover firmly on the table for Lestat and Gabriella as the end of episode one of The Vampire Lestat implies.

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Gabriella’s story in this adaptation will be told throughout this season of The Vampire Lestat. But if you’d like to know more about Gabriella from Anne Rice’s books, you can check out our full explainer here.

What Does The Ending of The Vampire Lestat Reveal to Us About Gabriella?

There’s still much we can glean about Gabriella in The Vampire Lestat from the ending of episode one and the texts she and Lestat exchange throughout it. Namely, that Lestat’s well-being is not her first priority. Despite Lestat’s many and increasingly alarming texts, Gabriella does not come to him when he asks until he is literally at his lowest point. And when she does arrive, it is not with compassion and fear, but with a sort of delight. That doesn’t seem very good from the perspective of a mother or a lover.

And even though he so ardently seems to long for her and calls what’s between them “love,” the uncanny way Lestat changes without warning when Gabriella arrives in episode one is truly unsettling. His face, voice, and body language alter with an alarming speed. Disturbingly, from the depths of despair, Lestat takes on an immediate, coy, simpering flirtation which has all the red flags waving. Our hats are totally off to Sam Reid for this abrupt heel turn, which is SO visceral.

AMC

In sum, although Lestat wants Gabriella by his side so much, it feels like she’s not very good for him, and she doesn’t really care if that’s true. And with Lestat and Louis broken up again, and Lestat feeling the weight of his past scars more intensely than ever, that can’t be very good news.

Of additional interest, in the voice-over at the end of The Vampire Lestat episode one, before Lestat reveals that Gabriella is his mother and lover, he says, “It’s not much of a reveal, I guess. I know it’s common gossip now, the first thing one thinks about when my name comes up.” That makes it sound like somehow, the rock star Lestat’s mother/lover relationship with Gabriella becomes public knowledge in the world of The Vampire Lestat. We suppose it is the kind of thing the internet might have a field day with.

Sam Reid on His Relationship with Gabriella and Louis

In an interview about The Vampire Lestat, Sam Reid told us the following about Lestat’s relationship with Gabriella and with Louis. His words are critical to keep in mind as we rewatch episode one’s ending and prepare for the rest of this season of The Vampire Lestat. Reid shares:

How does Lestat’s relationship with Louis and Gabriella define him and bring out different parts of him… I mean, yeah, it’s very different, but I think you get the sense that the relationship with Louis is actually … They’re on a level ground. They accept each other for who they are. They go through hell and fight each other, but they come back to each other. They keep recircling each other, and a lot of the performative nature, particularly of Lestat is kind of stripped away with Louis because he can’t really hold it up. Whereas Gabriella, it’s different. She’s been there in very formative years, and so she has helped build him and kind of build the foundations and the structure that is Lestat. And Lestat has spent his entire life performing and building these characters and these archetypes that are built around the situations that he finds himself in.

And sometimes the suit that Gabriela puts him in, he sort of outgrows and doesn’t really fit anymore and he keeps returning to it because that is unfortunately a very safe space for him because he’s looking for that maternal acceptance and love. So actually the actor, the rockstar, the Brat Prince, the leader, all of these things, that is the kind of vicarious life that Gabriella’s built for him so she can kind of use that as a conduit to experience it himself. Whereas Louis is different.

They call each other out on their bullshit more often than not and also really hurt each other and the hurt is reciprocated. I think Lestat finds it very hard to hurt Gabriella. He wants to hurt her and also he wants to hate her and she won’t let him. She won’t let him go whereas Louis will let him go and Lestat will let Louis go and they’ll have years where they’re not together and they’ll be like, “Whoa, I lost that one.” And then they come back, he’s like, “No, okay, you grew a little bit. I grew a little bit. Who are we now? We’re still the same people. ” Whereas Gabriella won’t ever let Lestat out of her orbit. And just when he thinks, “Okay, I’ve got some time,” She comes right back in. She knows. She’s very clever, but that’s how he learns the great art of manipulation.

We’ll See More of the Vampire Gabriella in The Vampire Lestat

Whatever all of this brings for Lestat in the coming episodes, for now, it feels like the Vampire Gabriella is here for a spell. Of course, we never know when she might ghost again.

The Vampire Lestat airs at 9 pm ET/PT on AMC and AMC+.

Rotem Rusak is Editor-in-Chief of Nerdist and a huge fan of The Vampire Lestat. She can’t wait for everyone to watch this season.

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 Who Is Lestat Texting in THE VAMPIRE LESTAT? Episode 1 Ending Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Calling all crewmates! A couple of years ago, we learned that an Among Us animated series was on the way via CBS. We even got some casting news and a small teaser trailer in the coming months, but nothing super consistent. Now, there’s finally an official first trailer for the Among Us animated series as well as a release date for its Paramount+ premiere, which is June 5. That’s right, all ten episodes of Among Us are now available to stream right now. 

The announcement was made on stage by series stars Yvette Nicole Brown and Liv Hewson during the global livestream event. Among Us follows a group of eccentric, monochromatic Crewmates of a ship transporting junk across the galaxy who must root out an Impostor in their midst before they fall victim to its villainous designs. Of course, this show is based on the popular game series. The Among Us animated trailer is great and boasts some very familiar voices, thanks to its all-star cast. Those names include the following: 

• Ashley Johnson as Purple, Chief of Security
• Elijah Wood as Green, Unpaid Intern
• Randall Park as Red, Captain of The Skeld
• Yvette Nicole Brown as Orange, HR
• Dan Stevens as Blue, Doctor
• Liv Hewson as Black, Geologist
• Kimiko Glenn as Cyan, Gemologist

Paramount+

The cast will also include Patton Oswalt, Debra Winger, Wayne Knight, and Phil Lamarr. We totally love to hear it. So, get to streaming Among Us and get into the action right now!

The post AMONG US Series Drops Trailer and All Episodes on Paramount+ appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• The anime adaptation of the popular Capcom game series Devil May Cry will officially get a third and final season on Netflix.

These days, if a Netflix series makes it to three seasons, we have to consider that a win. And it looks like the Netflix anime series Devil May Cry will indeed make it to three seasons, and then call it a day. The news comes via Polygon. The adult urban-fantasy anime series, based on the popular Capcom video game franchise, premiered its first season in 2025, with a second season dropping this year. The final season will hit the streaming giant probably in 2027. The series follows a mercenary demon hunter named Dante as he tries to stop a demonic invasion of Earth. Series showrunner Adi Shankar had this to say in a statement about Devil May Cry coming to an end:

For those of you who have been paying attention to the episode names, I have been showing you the structure the entire time. This was always Dante’s Divine Comedy with guns and a red coat. Season 1 was ‘Inferno.’ Season 2 was ‘Purgatorio.’ Season 3 will be ‘Paradiso.’ These three seasons make up ‘The Force Edge Saga.’ Since inception, ‘The Force Edge Saga’ was designed as a movie trilogy disguised as a television series.

Netflix

The Devil May Cry series has attracted a sizable viewership on Netflix since it came out last year. But if they always designed it as a three-season arc, it’s best to let it end on the creator’s terms. Big hit for Netflix or not, the series was not without controversy. A character on the show was allegedly based on right-wing streamer Zack “Asmongold” Hoyt, who was banned from Twitch.

Netflix

This was not the first Devil May Cry animated series, of course. A previous anime series came out in 2007, and ran for 12 episodes. The video games first appeared back in 2001. Capcom credited the show’s popularity with helping the game Devil May Cry 5 surpass 10 million in sales. Johnny Yong Bosch will return for season three to voice Dante, with Robbie Daymond returning as Vergil, and Scout Taylor-Compton as Lady. An exact premiere date for season three is still unknown.

The post DEVIL MAY CRY Series Gets a Third and Final Netflix Season appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Paramount Skydance has condensed Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media into one video game studio, Paramount Games Studio.

First Paramount merged with Skydance. Then Paramount Skydance bought Warner Bros. Discovery (though technically it’s still pending). WBD itself is a merged uber company. Now the mega corp is at it again. It is condensing its own video game studios into a single entity known as Paramount Games Studio.

Variety reports Paramount Skydance is condensing its two video games studios—Skydance Interactive and Skydance New Media—into one entity. The company’s Head of Corporate Strategy and Development, Tony Driscoll will lead Paramount Games Studio. He will remain in his current roll. Paramount told Variety that will allow Driscoll “to lead our integration planning effort for the Warner Bros. Discovery transaction.” The new singular studio will also develop its own games based on Paramount IP rather than licensing out to other studios.

In a statement Driscoll talked about what the company is hoping to achieve by bringing both studios under a singular umbrella:

This division launch marks a meaningful evolution in how we think about games – not as an extension of our business, but as a core pillar of our content strategy alongside film, television, and streaming. We are committed to creating exceptional games for every type of player, from casual to AAA, and building enduring experiences across our beloved Paramount IP and original worlds that deepen fan engagement and drive long-term growth.

Paramount Skydance

Skydance Interactive’s Dan Prigg is sticking around. He’ll serve as Executive Vice president, Head of Games for the new studio. Paramount has also named his colleague at Skydance Interactive, Shawn Kittelsen, as Senior Vice President, Head of Creative & Production.

This latest condensation is not expected to stop work on two big projects that were in development at Skydance New Media. It was working on both Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra and still-unnamed Star Wars game. Those will now continue at Paramount Games Studio. It’s also expected to announce a new AAA title as part of this initial rollout.

One of Skydance New Media’s two co-presidents is also staying on under the new banner. Amy Hennig will serve is as the new studio’s Creative Director. Meanwhile Julian Beak is leaving the company.

If history is any indicator we know what’s next for her. She’ll move on to a different company. Eventually it will merge with Paramount Skydance Warner Bros. Discovery Elizondo Mountain Dew Camacho.

The post Paramount Skydance Announces Paramount Games Studio appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Valve has announced a massive new piece of hardware, with the Steam Machine coming in 2026, a PC/console hybrid 6x faster than Steam Deck.

With Microsoft effectively ceding the console wars to Sony and Nintendo, giving the competition access to once-proprietary Xbox games like Halo, it seemed like it’s a two-horse race. Will it be PlayStation or Nintendo Switch that reigns supreme. Well, don’t count Valve out of that battle. The company behind Steam has announced a massive new piece of hardware. (Via IGN.) While we don’t know the price yet for the next-gen Steam Machine and Steam Controller, we do know specs and size. According to Valve, the console/PC hybrid will have six times (that’s 6x!) more powerful than Steam Deck.

Valve also, after many delays, has confirmed the Steam Machine will drop at some point this summer.

Valve

The memory for the Steam Machine is pretty huge. Two models will be available in 2026. One will be 512GB and the other 2TB. It will ship both alone and in a bundle with Steam Controller. The Steam Machine, a follow-up to the previous 2015 version, will feature a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 6C / 12T CPU, a semi-Custom AMD RDNA3 GPU, and supports 4K gaming at 60 frames per second with FSR. Valve described the new Steam Machine as six times more powerful than Steam Deck, with 16GB DDR5 and 8GB GDDR6 VRAM.

Console gaming versus PC gaming has long been the dividing line, and if this is legitimately both, that really makes the next-gen Steam Machine an intriguing proposition for all parties. As a pure console player, I’ve missed out on a lot of PC-only titles. I’m sure it’s the same the other way for PC gamers. The versatility of such a powerful device will bring a lot of interest from either side. It will, of course, be dependent on the price. My guess? Quite high.

Gabe Newell, the head honcho of Valve, said the following: “We’ve been super happy with the success of Steam Deck, and PC gamers have continued asking for even more ways to play all the great titles in their Steam libraries. Our work over the years on other hardware and even more importantly on SteamOS has enabled Steam Controller, Steam Machine, and Steam Frame to do just that.”

If you’d like more info on particular specs, you can visit the Steam site.

Originally published November 12, 2025.

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 Valve Confirms Steam Machine Will Drop This Summer appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• Anthony Stewart Head, best known for playing the Watcher Rupert Giles for 7 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has passed away at the age of 72.

Anthony Stewart Head, who played Buffy Summers’ Watcher, Rupert Giles, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has passed away at the age of 72 from complications due to pneumonia. The news comes from a report via the BBC. Apart from his iconic role on Buffy, Anthony Head also recently appeared in Ted Lasso, the musical Repo! The Genetic Opera, and the BBC’s Merlin. He also played Dr. Frank N. Furter in several different productions of The Rocky Horror Show over the years, and his version of “Sweet Transvestite” came out as a single in 1991. And he lent his speaking voice to many radio plays and voiceover projects. But for an entire generation, he’ll always be the wise, yet befuddled, Sunnydale High School Librarian.

Twentieth Century Television

Anthony Stewart Head’s daughters, Daisy and Emily, released this statement on their father, saying, “It will forever be an honor and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many. We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in. He loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky, to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades.” Anthony Head’s wife, Sarah Fisher, passed away at age 61 in December, 2025.

Head came from a performing family. His older brother, Murray Head, originated the role of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, and had a huge pop hit in 1984 with “One Night in Bangkok.” Anthony actually first became famous in America in a soapy ongoing series of Nescafé commercials. All right before booking Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was a series regular for the first five seasons, before moving back to the UK. However, he appeared in multiple episodes across seasons six and seven. Joss Whedon announced plans for a spin-off for his character Giles called Ripper for the BBC. But sadly, it never came to be. He’s now the third Buffy cast member to die prematurely within a year, after Michelle Trachtenberg and Nicholas Brendon. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and many fans.

The post Anthony Stewart Head, BUFFY’S Rupert Giles, Has Died at 72 appeared first on Nerdist.

⚡ Quick Take

• u003cliu003eThe Odyssey’s website allows you to watch the film’s trailer in several formats, including IMAX 70mm and Dolby Vision.u003c/liu003e

The Odyssey is coming to theaters in various formats, like IMAX 70mm and Dolby Vision. So it is only right that you’d be able to explore the trailer for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming summer film in those same formats, right? The Odyssey’s website allows you to do just that, with all of the film’s different formats available to experience this trailer in the accompanying aspect ratio. 

Universal Pictures

For those who are not filmmakers like Nolan or nerds about the process, each one has a written description about what it entails. And there are videos of several cast members who also break down the format for each version of The Odyssey trailer.

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It’s quite cool to dive into and see exactly why people love IMAX or Dolby Vision. The Odyssey arrives in theaters on July 17.

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