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Tubi Will Air Classic SESAME STREET Episodes for One Year

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 11:30

Sesame Street has been a beloved television institution since 1969, teaching young children basic life lessons with lovable puppets created by Jim Henson. And these days, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and Elmo are icons who sell tons of merch to kids. Although Sesame Street aired on PBS for decades, in 2016 HBO started to bankroll new episodes. Later, Netflix took over in 2025. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, several classic episodes from the show’s first 38 years on the air are now on the free streaming service Tubi. Among those episodes is one from 1980, where Star Wars‘ beloved droids R2-D2 and C-3PO appear.

Fox owns Tubi, bringing select episodes from Sesame Street’s first 38 seasons to its platform, which started on April 1. Some 250 episodes of Sesame Street were shot between 1969 and 2007. Now, several of them will be available on the platform as part of a one-year deal. If your favorite episode from your childhood is not among that initial batch, don’t worry. Tubi plans to swap out about ten percent of the available Sesame Street episodes every quarter. So there’s a good chance that one episode that triggers a core memory for you from your childhood will appear down the line.

Tubi

Tubi’s chief content officer, Adam Lewinson, said in a statement, “Few brands have shaped young minds and sparked imagination quite like Sesame Street. By bringing hundreds of episodes to Tubi for free, we’re giving today’s kids access to joyful, foundational learning while inviting parents to share a piece of their own childhood with the next generation.” These days, public broadcasting remains in danger. Other networks have had to pitch in to continue new episodes of Sesame Street. But we’re glad that at least the old episodes have a home for the time being.

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Categories: Nerd News

Watch: Astronaut Rolls d20 in Zero Gravity

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 11:18

Space is a fascinating place, especially with the zero gravity of it all. If there’s one thing space movies and real life footage have in common, it’s that we’re sure to see some astronauts floating around willy nilly. Just take Grace in Project Hail Mary for example (yes, my every waking thought does still revolve around this movie). It all makes us wonder just how difficult it really is for astronauts to do normal, everyday things. Obviously, they get their own special space food and stuff like that, but what about entertainment? For instance, what it would be like to play Dungeons & Dragons in space? How does one roll a d20 in space with no gravity? Thanks to German astronaut Rabea Rogge, the mystery has been solved. Rogge posted a demonstration video on Instagram on April 4, which has already gone viral after just a few days.

D&D in space? It’s the question everyone has been asking. Ok, not really, but we do have the answer, thanks to Rogge. In addition to being the first German female astronaut, Rogge is also a huge TTRPG fan. And her explanation of how to roll a d20 die in space is actually quite simple. She shows us how in a short video she posted on Instagram.

Rabea Rogge

First, Rogge throws the d20 gently in the air, letting it spin for a moment in the zero-gravity atmosphere. Then, she catches it in her palm. She determines the roll by seeing what number peeks out of the hole between her thumb and pointer finger. That easy. Huzzah, space D&D is possible! If Rocky and Grace ever head back out for another space adventure, it would be amazing to see them playing a little D&D.

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Rogge’s post is already at 258 thousand likes and counting. This d20 space roll even captured the attention of the official Dungeons & Dragons‘ Instagram page. The page left a comment under her video, which reads: “New rule—anything you roll in space is a critical success.”

Amazon MGM Studios

Chances are, most of us are probably not headed to space anytime soon. But, if the opportunity ever arises, it’s nice to know that D&D and other dice-rolling games are space-approved. Maybe we can get the first space campaign rolling. We’d love to roll a d20 in zero gravity.

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Categories: Nerd News

THE BOYS Season 5 New Cast Reveal: The Worm and Teenage Kix

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 11:00

The Boys may be heading into its final season, season five. But that doesn’t mean new faces can’t come aboard the super team of actors that bring this intense, gory, and outrageous show to life. Ahead of its season five premiere, The Boys has revealed five new members of its cast: Ely Henry, Dylan Colton, Emma Elle Paterson, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. Ely Henry is joining in the role of “The Worm.” Meanwhile, Dylan Colton, Emma Elle Paterson, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan are coming in as members of Teenage Kix, Vought International’s all-teenage superhero team from the original The Boys graphic novel. As we said, it’s never too late to adapt new characters from the original graphic novel. And we know these new members of The Boys season five cast will bring even more excellence to the table.

Prime Video Prime Video

Those who love the original The Boys graphic novel will know that Teenage Kix is a superhero team created by Vought International to specifically appeal to a younger audience. Gotta widen the base, you know? In The Boys season four, Ryan Butcher, the illegitimate son of Homelander and Becca Butcher, received an offer to join Teenage Kix. We’ll have to wait and see how that all plays out in season four.

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5 BIG Questions That THE BOYS Season 5 Must Answer

For now, here’s what we know: “In the fifth and final season, it’s Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a “Freedom Camp.”  Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found. But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it.  It’s the climax, people. Big stuff’s gonna happen.

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THE BOYS Season 5 Is Brutal, Bonkers, and Brilliant (Review)

The Boys season five will premiere with its first two episodes on April 8, 2026. We’re excited to see all our favorite familiar supes, as well as this latest new cast, come back to us for one final season of The Boys.

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Categories: Nerd News

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE 50th Anniversary Edition Announced

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 10:53

2026 marks fifty years of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, easily one of the most influential vampire books since Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Rice’s first novel, published in 1976, arrived in a very different era for horror fiction. A time when mainstream publishers often dismissed supernatural novels out of hand. But Interview helped change that narrative. Now, the book that made the Vampire Lestat an icon is getting re-released in a new fiftieth-anniversary edition. It arrives with a new foreword and afterword, the latter from Anne Rice’s son Christopher Rice, himself a successful author. Releasing in October, just in time for Halloween, you can now pre-order the new hardcover Interview with the Vampire fiftieth anniversary edition by clicking here.

Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire 50th Anniversary Edition Click To View Gallery Alfred A. Knopf Alfred A. Knopf Alfred A. Knopf Alfred A. Knopf

This special edition hardcover arrives decadently styled, with a foil-printed case, blood-red sprayed edges, and marbled endpapers. The new foreword comes from Leigh Bardugo, author of the Shadow and Bone trilogy. Rice wrote this lush novel in the wake of her young daughter’s tragic death. She channeled all her grief into the character of the vampire narrator, Louis. He describes his eternal life in Antebellum New Orleans, where he becomes enthralled with the dashing and cruel vampire, Lestat. Together, they create a vampiric daughter, Claudia. But as the decades roll on, this volatile undead family unravels violently.

Alfred A. Knopf

Interview with the Vampire became a cult hit, ultimately finding great success in paperback. This led to Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series, which lasted thirteen volumes and forty years. Rice’s first novel finally became a successful film in 1994, starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Kirsten Dunst. In 2022, after years of development, AMC reimagined the novel as a television series. It launched AMC’s Anne Rice Immortal Universe, which continues still. But it all began with Anne Rice’s novel, which you can rediscover in this new edition, or read for the very first time, just to see what all the fuss is about.

Once again, the 50th anniversary version of Interview with the Vampire can be pre-ordered via this link. The book will release on October 6, 2026.

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Categories: Nerd News

EXIT 8 Manages to Turn a 20 Minute Game into Compelling Feature Film (Review)

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 10:52

Indie horror movies have been killing it (pun intended) for the past decade with their focus on nerve-shredding dread and pathos out the ass. In the video game space, it’s a similar situation. While really only the Resident Evil franchise can keep putting out banger after banger, it’s indie games where most of the really interesting horror arrives. So why not put that particular chocolate and peanut butter together? Just look at the success of Markiplier’s Iron Lung movie. But, when it came to another streamer-friendly uncanny game-turned-movie, I was a bit more dubious. I mean, The Exit 8 game doesn’t even have a story. But, now it’s a movie, and it weirdly works.

Toho

The game, from developer Kotake Create, dropped in 2023. Without even a title screen, the player finds themselves in first-person view, walking down the fluorescent-tiled hallway of a Japanese subway. White tiles, a yellow line on the floor, some signage, and a man walking harmlessly the other direction greet you. But as you round the corners, you find yourself back at the same hallway, with the same signs, and strangely the same walking man, staring back at you. This is our gameplay loop in Exit 8. To find a way out, we have to find any and all anomalies in the hallway. If we see one, we turn around and go back the other way. If we don’t, we don’t. After eight such correct guesses, we can leave. If we mess up one, the counter resets.

Some of the anomalies are super obvious, while others are nefariously subtle. An observant player can complete the game in a matter of minutes. How, then, can Exit 8 turn into a 95-minute movie? To my surprise, pretty effectively. Without ever changing the premise of the game that much, director and co-writer Genki Kawamura and co-writer Kentaro Hirase add enough story, and give interesting wrinkles to familiar elements, that a literal looping hallway actually feels like it’s heading somewhere.

Toho

The story follows of Exit 8 a character simply called “The Lost Man” (Kazunari Ninomiya), who rides the subway as he gets a call from his ex (or estranged) girlfriend. She informs him she’s pregnant, and he begins to spiral. As he exits the train and walks toward the exit, he seamlessly ends up in the familiar hallway and quickly learns “the rules.” He maybe believes the rules are a thing too quickly, but it works for the movie well enough.

From there, the Lost Man encounters strange and uncanny elements, most prominently the Walking Man (Yamato Kochi), who will occasionally behave extra creepily depending on the loop. While never fully explaining anything, the Exit 8 movie does add a bit of context for some of it, and indeed, we learn more about the Walking Man than expected. The anomalies get stranger and more upsetting as the movie goes along, and the Lost Man will have to sort himself out if he hopes to leave.

NEON

One of the movie’s biggest successes is how well it emulates the feeling of an endless, cut-free loop that makes up the game. While the movie does have cuts, both obvious and hidden, the bulk of the action feels like a single take. The film also recreates the Exit 8 hallways to perfection, and its every nook and cranny will seer into your brain. Knowing the geography of the small space is of paramount importance to noticing the eeriness of the anomalies.

Exit 8 doesn’t outstay its welcome, it gets in, gets out, tells a familiar but mainly compelling enough story with a few interesting twists in its many looped hallways. It might not revolutionize the video game movie, but it does show that any game can make for good cinema.

⭐ (3.5 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.

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Categories: Nerd News

The Complete Supergirl Costume History

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 10:30

Superman has had, more or less, one costume his whole career. Sure, there have been some minor tweaks since those early DC Comics days. But he’s essentially worn the same getup since about 1945. But his cousin Kara, a.k.a. Supergirl? She adds to her Kryptonian closet with some regularity. Here’s the history of Supergirl’s costume, from the 1959 “girl next door from space” look, to her DCU costume that Milly Alcock will wear in the upcoming Supergirl film. DC Comics/Warner Bros.

Note: Since the character has appeared in many costume iterations, we’re sticking to outfits worn by the main DCU comics character, not any alternate Earth or Elseworlds versions. So no Power Girl, who is almost an entirely different hero, and no Injustice Kara. And no one-offs, used for a single story, then forgotten just as fast. We are including the movie and Arrowverse versions, as well as the animated ones, because they made a big impact and, in turn, the comics started to reflect them.

The Prototype Supergirl CostumeDC Comics

Less than a year before Kara debuted in the pages of Action Comics, DC tried out a Supergirl character to see if readers would respond in 1958’s Superman #123. DC had flirted with a female counterpart to Superman before, like in the ’40s when Lois Lane got powers. They created this Girl of Steel when Jimmy Olsen wished for a Supergirl to help Superman out by conjuring her on a magic totem. She died in the very same issue in which they introduced her in. But readers liked her enough that DC introduced a real Supergirl one year later. She’d be just a footnote, if not for one thing. The costume she wore, which had a red skirt, would become Kara’s most recognizable costume. But Kara herself wouldn’t wear it until 26 years later in the Supergirl feature film.

Kara Zor-El’s Original CostumeDC Comics

The Supergirl most people know, Kara-Zor-El, first debuted in 1959’s Action Comics #252. When she arrived on Earth from Krypton to greet her cousin she wore this outfit, which remains one of her most iconic. She wore this particular costume for over a decade. It’s basically just her cousin Superman’s costume, but with a skirt and no pants. In many ways, this remains the most iconic Supergirl costume of all, except these days, most people think of it with a red skirt instead of blue. We’ll get to why in a bit. Oddly enough, Kara didn’t wear any version of her costume with a red skirt until 1983, nearly 25 years after her debut.

The Fan-Made Supergirl Costume FashionDC Comics

We know, we said no “one off” costumes. But this Supergirl costume phase was too important not to mention. In 1970, Supergirl fans started feeling like her costume was dated. The look she arrived in was a relic of the Leave it to Beaver era, and it was now a post-Woodstock world. So DC asked fans to send in their best costume designs. And the fans complied. They sent in dozens, and DC actually used a few of them. Since this was the early ‘70s, the aesthetics were, shall we say, very groovy. Most of these costumes were just worn once or twice. But one of them was the first time a Supergirl costume included pants. Something her prime-universe comics counterpart wouldn’t ever really wear until very recently.

The Cocktail Waitress of SteelDC Comics

In 1972, Supergirl finally got her own comic book series instead of merely being a feature in the anthology title Adventure Comics. To celebrate, she got a new costume once again. Only this one stuck for the better part of a decade. It’s another costume very much of its time with a choker, low-cut blouse, and hot pants. Fans have often referred to this one as “the cocktail waitress costume.” As the decade rolled on, the hot pants became regular shorts and the pixie shoes became red boots like she had before. But the basic look remained for a decade. And this costume made it into much of the Supergirl merchandising of the time.

Kara Gets Physical in a Costume to Die ForDC Comics

In 1983, with production about to begin on a live-action Supergirl movie, DC decided to update Kara’s look for the MTV era. To reflect the workout craze, they have the Girl of Steel a perm and a headband. It was all very “Jane Fonda Workout” tape. Actress Helen Slater wore a version of this costume for screen tests, but the producers ultimately ditched the headband and the cape attached to the “S” symbol for the final film. However, they kept the red skirt, which people associate with Supergirl to this day. This costume only lasted a couple of years, but it was the outfit Kara famously died in, saving the universe in Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985.

The Hollywood CostumeWarner Bros.

Supergirl finally made it into live-action in 1984, in a big-budget feature starring newcomer Helen Slater. A spin-off of the Christopher Reeve Superman films, it sadly totally tanked at the box office and was a critical disaster. However, more people still saw that movie versus reading any one Supergirl comic, especially once it went to home video and cable TV. So this costume instantly became Supergirl’s most well-known. Ironically, it was a costume first worn by the version of the character that was just the prototype, and not the Kara version everyone knows.

The Replacement Supergirl Keeps it ClassicDC Comics

Kara Zor-El was dead and buried in DC continuity from 1985-2004. But in the interim, DC introduced a different Supergirl to the Superman family. And her origin was a tad complicated. But here’s the short version. This version of Supergirl was a protoplasmic lifeform called Matrix that could mimic human appearance. She came from an alternate Earth, where that world’s Kal-El died, and Lex Luthor created her to replace him. She eventually “fused” with a human woman named Linda Danvers, becoming an angel on Earth. Yeah, “Superman’s cousin” makes more sense to us as an origin, too. In any event, the costume worn by this Supergirl from 1988 to 1998 or so is almost exactly the same one we saw in the movie.

The ’90s Supergirl Cartoon CostumeDC Comics

Speaking of the ‘90s, Superman: The Animated Series eventually introduced their version of Supergirl, in the 1998 episode “Little Girl Lost.” This version was Kara, but not Superman’s direct cousin. Instead of Krypton, she was a survivor of the neighboring world of Argo. Her costume was very of its time. Belly T-shirt, Doc Marten boots, a super mini skirt, and a headband that looked like Alicia Silverstone’s in Clueless. In a change of pace for Kara, her shirt was white and not blue. She also had white gloves, a first for her. The comics version of Supergirl, who was not Kara at the time but Linda Danvers, eventually adopted the costume herself. Another example of outside media influencing the comics.

Supergirl’s Costume in the 21st Century DC Comics

In the early 2000s, DC decided it was time to reintroduce Kara Zor-El. They didn’t resurrect the original Kara, but reintroduced a younger version as a brand-new character just arriving on Earth. This Kara 2.0, designed by the late artist Michael Turner, essentially had the same outfit as her original counterpart did in 1959. Except she now had a bare midriff, much like Britney Spears would have in that era. The costume has more yellow highlights as well. If not for the ridiculously over-exposed mid-section and wildly short skirt, we’d consider this one an all-timer.

The New 52 CostumeDC Comics

In 2011, DC rebooted its entire universe thanks to the event called Flashpoint. The result was “the New 52,” a new timeline with a new Supergirl. She was still Kara, but now more Kryptonian, more aggressive, and with a very weird costume. It definitely evoked the Jim Lee era of early ’90s comics that the New 52 was mimicking. Her cape made a statement with a very dramatic collar. But the boots that leave the knees exposed? The weird red diamond shape over the crotch? All that extra piping in the costume itself? This was an overdone look, and we weren’t sad to see it go.

The Supergirl Television Show CostumeWarner Bros./CW

When Supergirl got her own live-action TV series on CBS (later the CW) she appeared in a costume that reflected what most people thought of when they thought “Supergirl.” So basically, actress Melissa Benoist wore a more muted version of the 1984 movie costume for the Arrowverse. Actually, it’s a cross between the classic version and the then-current DCEU Superman costume worn by Henry Cavill. So, bright colors were not “in” at this time. But everything else about this costume was fantastic, and worked well on screen for four seasons of television.

The Rebirth UniformDC Comics

In 2016, DC Comics undid the New 52, and go back to something more classic. This era was called “Rebirth,” and it was a rebirth for Supergirl as well. The militaristic look of the New 52 was out the window. With the success of the TV series, DC decided to give Kara a look that reflected her live-action counterpart. Except the colors were brighter, and more, dare we say, comic booky. And this might be the best Supergirl costume yet. This is very similar to the costume she wore in the 2021 Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic, only Bilquis Evely’s design had a larger belt.

The TV Costume, Take Two. Pants at Last!Warner Bros./CW

In the final two seasons of the CW’s Supergirl, Melissa Benoist got something she’d been asking for since season one: pants. Yes, Kara got a new costume this season, which covered up her legs at last. Although Supergirl was barely ever allowed to wear pants in the comics, this outfit changed the game. It definitely drew inspiration from a short-lived costume from the early ‘70s, only it improved on it. The latest comics costume for Kara took a cue from Melissa Benoist and finally added pants. But in a shocking twist, she has no cape, and has a jacket instead! We’re not sure how we feel about that.

DC ComicsThe Flash’s Supergirl CostumeWarner Bros./DC Comics

Sasha Calle played Supergirl in The Flash, and this Kara Zor-El differs from any we’ve seen before. This costume looks more than a bit like Henry Cavill’s version. Although she is Kara, her costume was inspired by a non-Kara version of the Girl of Steel. It’s strikingly similar to Injustice’s Lara Kent, the daughter of Superman and Lois Lane.

The DC “All-In” CostumeDC Comics

Supergirl began headlining her own series again in 2025, as part of DC’s “All-In” initiative, from creator Sophie Campbell. In this ongoing series, Kara returns to a more classic look, as she heads back to her hometown in Midvale. The cape is back, and the outfit is a blend of her Rebirth costume, with her bare midriff from the early ’00s. This is also what she wears in other DC titles, such as Justice League Unlimited.

The DCU Supergirl DC Studios

We now arrive at our newest live-action Kara, Milly Alcock, who portrays the character in the DCU. She made her debut in James Gunn’s Superman in a cameo, and will headline her own feature film this summer. However, she’s already had two costumes. In her first DCU appearance, Kara largely based her look on David Corenswet’s Superman costume. The ‘S’ symbol reflects his, and includes a thick belt with red highlights and what looked like a thick red skirt. For her upcoming movie, the skirt appears to be constructed from lighter materials, and the belt is solid gold. This looks more like Kara’s costume in the comic book this movie is based on, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. We’re fans of this look, and can’t wait to see it in action on the big screen.

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Originally published May 19, 2023.

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Categories: Nerd News

Artemis II Crew Quoted PROJECT HAIL MARY’s Rocky

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 10:02

This week when they swung around the Moon the crew of the Artemis II traveled farther from Earth than any human beings ever. Their distance of 252,760 miles away surpassed the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. More importantly their accomplishment served as a reminder of what humanity can do when it puts its mind to it, works together, and embraces science. But what were the astronauts thinking about as they made their historic trip through space? A movie about a trip through space. The Artemis II crew watched Project Hail Mary during quarantine ahead of their launch, and we know it stuck with them because they quoted Rocky during a beautiful moment on their journey.NASA/Amazon MGM Studios

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, the first non-American to travel to the Moon, gave his fellow London, Ontario native Ryan Gosling a big thumbs up for Project Hail Mary. A floating Hansen talked about how the crew got a “real treat” when they received screeners of the blockbuster sci-fi film. The astronauts all got to watch it with their families before leaving. They were, like everyone else, big fans.

THE ARTEMIS II CREW GOT ASKED ABOUT RYAN GOSLING AND PROJECT HAIL MARY pic.twitter.com/DAj4vOPXat

— jv (@eIeven) April 5, 2026

“I would just say to Ryan, art imitates science and vice versa, it seems. He did a great job in that movie. It’s wonderful to see people really leaning into those roles,” said Hansen. “I thought it was just such an inspirational example. And somebody who goes out there and just gets what was done to save humanity. It’s a pretty extraordinary example that we can all follow. We all thought that movie was really uplifting and inspiring.”

Gosling had also sent the crew a message wishing them luck on their inspiring journey.

We know Gosling’s film landed with the real space explorers because they quoted it during a great moment. While telling NASA how they could see Earth out of one window and the Moon out of another, one of the crew members dropped Rocky’s memorable quote. “Amaze! Amaze! Amaze!”

AMAZE AMAZE AMAZE @projecthailmary 🤝 @NASA pic.twitter.com/b62NAoLtw8

— IGW (@interstellargw) April 6, 2026

No human or Eridian could have said it better.

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Categories: Nerd News

SNL UK Spoofs THE TRAITORS in Hilarious Sketch

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 09:47

One of the most popular reality competition series in recent years is The Traitors, which has both a UK and American version. The show portrays a cutthroat scenario where a group of people must gather in a castle. (Alan Cumming hosts the American iteration, Claudia Winkleman the British.) In this locale, they slowly determine who among the group is a “faithful,” and who must be removed from the competition. The UK version is particularly popular. So it makes sense that the fledgling SNL UK would make a sketch parodying the series mercilessly. Only in this version, they’re not looking for a traitor. Nope, they’re looking for a giant crab man. You can watch the full sketch, featuring SNL UK guest host Riz Ahmed, below:

The sketch points out frequent claims that contestants on The Traitors display unconscious racial bias. Many viewers have noted how frequently people of color get voted out much earlier than the white contestants. In the sketch, we see the oblivious contestants of the show Great Big Crab Man try to unmask who among them is a human crustacean. Somehow, they point to everyone except for the one dude (George Fouracres), who looks like an actual giant crab. Instead, they falsely blame and eliminate one person of color after another, instead of the obvious crab among them.

Sky

In the sketch’s conclusion, Riz Ahmed’s character Imran finds himself ousted, despite the big ol’ obvious crab guy sitting right there. We must say, we love that the titular Great Big Crab Man’s given name in the episode is Sebastian. Yes, just like the crab character in The Little Mermaid. Viewers are already citing this The Traitors sketch as the best one yet from SNL UK. A lot of people wondered if SNL UK could live up to its iconic American counterpart. But with sketches like this one, we’d say they’re off to a great start.

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Categories: Nerd News

RICK AND MORTY Fight Everyone and Everything in Season 9 Trailer

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 09:31

After eight seasons we know Rick and Morty have, quite literally, an infinite number of enemies across an infinite numbers of universes. And yet, despite being very well aware of that, we’re still not prepared for just how many people, aliens, and couches the two will have to fight when they return. But Rick and Morty‘s new season nine trailer shows that there really are more enemies in the multiverse than you can imagine.

Adult Swim’s favorite multidimensional travelers are back in the season nine trailer for Rick and Morty. Set to Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell,” the promo features a literal “the floor is lava” situation, breakfast drugs, a Kill Bill reference, a killer couch, a killer tree, possibly killer monkey aliens, lots of dead bodies, violence, one ballet class, and Jerry causing problems. (“Jerry causing problems” is obviously a redundant phrase.)

Why is the smartest man in the infinite multiverse fighting literally everyone and everything yet again? Because that’s what he does. Always. And forever.

Adult Swim

The show’s official season nine synopsis also promises that all of the madness that awaits fans is human made chaos. From Adult Swim:

Rick and Morty is back, baby! Season Nine is all certified bangers. No AI slop! Just Grade A organic slop, made by real humans with real human traits like back hair and cysts. Please watch, or we’ll have neglected our families for nothing.

The network previously released some images from the season that include moments not teased in this trailer. Those focus on Rick’s drinking. Thankfully! We feared he might make a single good decision this year. Will he? We’ll find out soon enough. Season nine of Rick and Morty premieres May 24 at 11 p.m. on Adult Swim. Despite what Rick would do, try not to fight anyone who doesn’t plan on watching.

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Categories: Nerd News

HOW TO TOUCH GRASS Comic Anthology Explores Embracing Community

Tue, 04/07/2026 - 08:30

Social media and constant interaction with others surrounds us, yet people often feel lonelier than ever. Everything feels overwhelming, chaotic, superficial, and more disconnected than ever, for the most part. One common phrase that people often say to get others to put their phones down, close their laptops, and step back into reality is to “go outside and touch grass.” And yes, we do need to do that, whether literally grounding ourselves in nature or metaphorically by leaving the hell cycle of news behind. Power & Magic Press’ latest Kickstarter for its upcoming comic anthology How to Touch Grass leans into that conceit in a delightful way. Courtesy of Power & Magic Press

It is a collection of adult, non-fiction stories about the difficulty of “touching grass” in every way. How do we leave our own bubbles and build authentic connections and community with others? How do we get back to a life that feels good to our hearts and bodies? Those are very valid questions in a world where we spend so much time consuming and producing, and not enough time to simply be.

Check out some more images from this anthology:

Click To View Gallery Akira B Jaye Fabel Aimee Campbell Dominque Duong Jade/Jude Sarson

This collection will have over 300 pages of full color comics by over 50 LGBTQ+ and BIPOC creators from all over the globe. Now more than ever, we have to support the creators who deliver the types of stories that we wish to see in the universe. Power & Magic Press’ creator Joamette Gil is a queer Afro-Cuban cartoonist and editor who is a brilliant driving force in the independent comics arena. 

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Joamette Gil on Bringing Latine Futurism to Comics

As with any Kickstarter campaign, there are many rewards for various levels of support for How to Touch Grass. It’s all about what you can contribute and what you’d like to receive. So, if you’re ready to parse through some humorous and heartfelt stories about finding human connection, then make sure you lend your support to How to Touch Grass.

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Categories: Nerd News

Andy Serkis’ ANIMAL FARM Final Trailer: Animals Incite Revolution

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 13:42

The animals have had enough. Derived from George Orwell’s incendiary 1945 novella of the same name comes a reimagined cautionary tale—one in animated form. The final trailer for Andy Serkis’ Animal Farm shows a legion of farm animals as they fight back against a corrupt hierarchy.

The Animal Farm trailer begins with what I can only imagine to be every farm animal’s worst nightmare: a trip to the slaughterhouse. After busting free from the truck, the animals set out to build a new world. A better one. They work together to create a new society in which “every animal is equal.” That dream is short-lived. The farm descends into a dictatorship as the pigs climb for power and leadership. “Every animal is equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” The only way to take power back is by inciting a revolution. Gaten Matarazzo voices Lucky, the pig responsible for leading that revolution.

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Trailer for Andy Serkis’ Animated ANIMAL FARM Is So Wrong

Orwell’s original 1945 novella, which I’m sure most of us were required to read sometime during school, is a powerful political commentary on the dangers of communism. From director Andy Serkis, that tale is reshaped to fit today’s climate and reach a younger audience. Honestly, we’re still not sure exactly what to make of it. The first Animal Farm trailer was met with a heap of mixed reviews, though the second may have won a couple of points back. Regardless, the animated retelling does boast a pretty remarkable cast. Seth Rogen is the pig famously known as Napoleon. Joining him is Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons and Andy Serkis.

The official synopsis for the movie is as follows: “A satirical allegory of revolution and power. Animal Farm traces how a movement for equality is systematically corrupted. As the pigs consolidate control, truth is erased, dissent is crushed, and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship—fulfilling Orwell’s warning about the dangers of communism.”

Angel Studios

Who would’ve imagined 2026 would be the year we would get an animated feature film of Animal Farm—one targeted toward kids, nonetheless. I still find it very interesting, but I guess we won’t really know until we see it. The story received an animated version once before in 1954. Nearly 75 years later, the message rings just as powerful as ever. If you want to pick up the book in preparation for the movie, you can do so here.

Animal Farm rolls into theaters on May 1, 2026.

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Categories: Nerd News

The Boys Cast Say Goodbye to the Show

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 13:30

The Boys stars Jack Quaid (Hughie Campbell), Erin Moriarty (Starlight/Annie January), Jensen Ackles (Soldier Boy), Antony Starr (Homelander), Susan Heyward (Sister Sage), Valorie Curry (Firecracker), Colby Minifie (Ashley Barrett), Nathan Mitchell (Black Noir), Jessie T. Usher (A-Train), Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko Miyashiro), Karl Urban (Billy Butcher), Laz Alonso (Mother’s Milk) & showrunner Eric Kripke sit down with Nerdist’s Michael Walsh to talk the show’s final season, what the cast will miss most, and what they hope fans will take away from the ending.

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Categories: Nerd News

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 Final Trailer: ‘May the Bridges I Burn Light My Way’

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 12:27

They’re back!!! The final trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 finally brings back all our favs, and some fun new faces. Yes, that means joining Anne Hathaway’s Andy/Andrea and Meryl Streep’s Miranda, we get to see Emily Blunt’s Emily and Stanley Tucci’s Nigel back in action. There’s even an official PRINT Runway magazine for you to try and snag. Not to mention, we love seeing some new faces, including Kenneth Branagh, Simone Ashley, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Patrick Brammall, Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, and B.J. Novak, appear in this final trailer. You can check it out below.

In addition to this final trailer, official synopsis for The Devil Wears Prada sequel movie shares, “Twenty years after making their iconic turns as Miranda, Andy, Emily and Nigel—Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci return to the fashionable streets of New York City and the sleek offices of Runway magazine in the eagerly awaited sequel to the 2006 phenomenon that defined a generation.” How will Runway fair in a new era? Only time will tell. Tracie Thoms and Tibor Feldman also reprise their roles as “Lily” and “Irv” from the first film. 

If you want to look back and forward at the same time, you can snag a Runway print edition magazine of your own. A release shares, “An all-new limited-edition promotional Runway Magazine was unveiled in a teaser piece featuring film talent. The magazine will officially launch in print on Monday, April 13 with issues available to the public in pop-up newsstands in Los Angeles, New York City and select locations across the country, as well as online via RunwayOnline.com.”

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Meryl Streep Gives Full ICON in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 Trailer

Style, glamor, drama, catchy lines like, “Who give away Chanel?” and “May the bridges I burn light the way,” The Devil Wears Prada 2 final trailer has it all, and we’re excited to see the movie.

20th Century Studios

The Devil Wears Prada 2 will release in theaters on May 1.

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Categories: Nerd News

THE VAMPIRE LESTAT Teaser: Daniel Molloy Says ‘It’s a Great F*cking Read.’

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 11:59

Interview with the Vampire season two is one of the finest TV shows we’ve ever seen. The dramatic, queer, and rich world of the show aged like fine wine from its first to second seasons. And that makes us especially excited to see what Interview with the Vampire season three has in store for us. We don’t know too much about what awaits us yet, but we do know it will be sexy, stylish, and rock and roll.

In our latest tease for The Vampire Lestat, Eric Bogosian’s Daniel Molloy confirms that he’s really happy with how Interview with the Vampire came out. “Look, I only make great stuff,” he explains, offering that “When I do interviews, I have three jobs. One, get the story. Two, make sure it’s true. And three, make it interesting. And it’s all in that book… Except for some added material that I didn’t add.” As always, Daniel Molloy, we stan.

Here’s everything we know so far about Interview with the Vampire season three.

Title

Normally, for a season of TV, we’d skip the title section. But it’s Lestat’s world and we’re all just living in it. Interview with the Vampire season 3 will be called The Vampire Lestat, natch.

Interview with the Vampire Season 3 Plot

Veering away from the inner-world of Louis de Pointe du Lac, season three of Interview with the Vampire is all Lestat, all the time. The Vampire Lestat, as we say. This season, Lestat, put out by his portrayal in Louis and Daniel Molloy’s book Interview with the Vampire is going on a rock star tour to correct the narrative. What could go wrong? Interview with the Vampire season three will be an adaptation of the novel The Vampire Lestat, but we’re sure it will make the book its own, as the prior seasons of the show have done with Interview with the Vampire.

AMC

You can catch the official Interview with the Vampire season three teaser trailer up top, and check out its official synopsis below:

In season three, resentful of the perfunctory portrayal in the trashy bestseller “Interview With The Vampire,” the Vampire Lestat sets his story straight in a way only the Vampire Lestat can—by starting a band and going on tour.  Gabrielle. Nicholas. Magnus. Marius. Those Who Must Be Kept. They join Louis, Armand, Molloy, Sam, Raglan, Fareed and others we can’t tell you about yet on a sexy pilgrimage across space, time and trauma. No Auto-Tuning. No Trigger Warnings. All Feels Amplified.

Additionally, a new synopsis for The Vampire Lestat, released in celebration of The Vampire Lestat’s streaming debut, teases, “In the new rock and roll centric season, the Vampire Lestat goes on an electric multi-city tour while being haunted by ‘ muses’ from his wild and rebellious past. As his band’s popularity and star power rises, so does Lestat’s influence over vampires and humans alike, leaving others to contend with Lestat’s power in the face of the Great Conversion, an unnatural surge in the vampire population. In addition to Reid, The Vampire Lestat stars Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles and Jennifer Ehle and is executive produced by award-winning producer Mark Johnson, creator, writer and showrunner Rolin Jones, Hannah Moscovitch, along with Christopher Rice and the late Anne Rice.”

AMC

We’ve heard a little bit about “the Great Conversion” before. But it sounds like this new fluctuation in the vampire population is going to cause some serious trouble for Lestat and co. And we wonder what Lestat will do with all his new star power and influence… nothing too wild, obviously. We know Lestat isn’t like that…..

Behind the Scenes

Interview with the Vampire season three is executive produced by Mark Johnson (who oversees AMC’s Anne Rice Immortal Universe). Rolin Jones serves as creator, writer, and showrunner. Mark Taylor, Christopher Rice, and the late Anne Rice also serve as executive producers. 

RELATED ARTICLE

Eric Bogosian Dives Into Daniel Molloy, Elder Queer Representation, and All Things INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE Interview with the Vampire Season 3 Cast AMC

Sam Reid returns in Interview with the Vampire season three as the titular Vampire Lestat. Joining him are his true love, Louis de Pointe du Lac, played by Jacob Anderson, the newly turned Vampire Daniel Molloy, played Eric Bogosian, the vengeful/gremlin Armand played by Assad Zaman, and many other faces familiar to fans of the Interview with the Vampire books. The synopsis lists a few new characters we’ll see, including “Gabrielle, Nicholas, Magnus, Marius, Those Who Must Be Kept,” and more. But no casting information has yet been announced.

Interview with the Vampire Season 3 Release Date

Interview with the Vampire season three will release in June of 2026.

RELATED ARTICLE

Eric Bogosian Confirms ‘Armand Told the Truth’ Tattoo Is NOT on Daniel’s Arm in the INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE Season 3 Teaser Trailer

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Categories: Nerd News

SAILOR MOON Cat Plush Blesses Artemis II Mission Control Center

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 11:51

It wouldn’t be an important moment in nerd history if some fandom fun wasn’t in the room. Over the past days of the Artemis II moon mission, Sailor Moon fans have delightedly spotted an Artemis plush hanging out in the Artemis II Mission Control Center. And we’re pleased to report that Sailor Moon’s guardian cat, Artemis, was still present and watching over the proceedings as the four astronauts of Artemis II officially traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history—breaking the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. Yes, Sailor Moon is forever a part of this crucial moment in space history, and we love it.

If you tune in to the NASA live-stream of Artemis II’s lunar flyover, that’s the part where they’ll finally see the moon clearly, and even travel behind it, to the dark side of the moon, you’ll be able to glimpse Sailor Moon‘s Artemis sitting behind the main line of scientists and mission control specialists in the Artemis Mission Control room. We love this adorable cat plush with a crescent moon decorating her forehead. Sadly, her counterpart, Luna, the sassy black cat, is nowhere to be found.

NASA

If you ask us, everything is better with some fandom. And there’s no better fandom to have in the room when going to the moon than Sailor Moon. The beloved manga/anime series tells the tale of a teenage girl who is tasked with protecting the Earth and given special moon powers to do so. She, along with her team of Sailor Scouts, all of whom draw their powers from a specific planet, fight evil, build bonds of friendship, and generally kick ass in style.

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SAILOR MOON Film Coming to Universal Studios’ Fan Fest Nights

If you’d like to own your own version of this Sailor Moon Artemis plush, you can snag one of your own today to commemorate this advent of space travel.

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

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Categories: Nerd News

DUNE: PART THREE IMAX 70MM tickets Are On Sale NOW

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 11:16

Dune: Part Two ended with Muad’Dib fulfilling his own terrible vision and leading the Fremen on a holy war throughout the galaxy. What happened after the Kwisatz Haderach left Arrakis? We’re going to find out when director Denis Villeneuve completes his third and final film in the franchise, which will adapt the novel Dune: Messiah. Who will star in his next spice-y epic? When will it come out? And what can we expect from the movie?

Get IMAX 70mm tickets now for Dune: Part Three and get a limited-edition collectible filmstrip—while supplies last. Dune: Part Three only in theaters and IMAX December 18. #DuneMovie #FilmedforIMAX https://t.co/VbUYvsh5Pw

Valid for one (1) collectible filmstrip per ticket… pic.twitter.com/04pjnIkAY6

— DUNE (@dunemovie) April 6, 2026

Even though Dune: Part Three won’t arrive in theaters until December 18, 2026, the first wave of tickets to see it in IMAX 70mm went on sale on April 6. But alas, they sold out almost instantly. If you didn’t snag them, don’t despair, more showtimes will likely be added, and you can sign up to be notified when they do. Dune: Part Three IMAX 70mm ticket sign ups can be found here.

Sign up for ticket alerts at https://t.co/GTgKYpUTfu to be notified as soon as more showtimes are added. Dune: Part Three only in theaters and IMAX December 18. #DuneMovie #FilmedforIMAX

Melbourne tickets on sale 3pm PT pic.twitter.com/lUVbfVgOQf

— DUNE (@dunemovie) April 6, 2026

Here’s everything we know about Dune: Part Three so far.

Title Warner Bros./Legendary

This Dune movie is based on Frank Herbert’s Dune: Messiah, his second novel in the series. Denis Villeneuve has also said he is not making a traditional trilogy with his three films, but rather that he made a “diptych” with his first two installments. However, the film’s official title still seemingly makes it read as the third movie in a trilogy. It’s called Dune: Part Three.

Dune: Part Three‘s Plot  Warner Bros./Legendary

While there is no official synopsis for the film yet, Villeneuve is adapting Frank Herbert’s Dune: Messiah. The director has said the movie will take place roughly 12 years after the end of Part Two, be “completely different” from the first two movies, and “will finish the Paul Atreides arc.”

Warner Bros./Legendary

Changes Villeneuve made in his first two movies will have a butterfly effect on Dune: Part Three, but the novel’s synopsis provides an idea of the general story. Here’s Dune: Messiah‘s synopsis from the official Frank Herbert website:

Dune Messiah continues the story of Paul Atreides, better known—and feared—as the man christened Muad’Dib. As Emperor of the known universe, he possesses more power than a single man was ever meant to wield. Worshipped as a religious icon by the fanatical Fremen, Paul faces the enmity of the political houses he displaced when he assumed the throne—and a conspiracy conducted within his own sphere of influence.

And even as House Atreides begins to crumble around him from the machinations of his enemies, the true threat to Paul comes to his lover, Chani, and the unborn heir to his family’s dynasty…

Click To View Gallery Warner Bros./Legendary Warner Bros./Legendary Warner Bros./Legendary Warner Bros./Legendary Warner Bros./Legendary Warner Bros./Legendary Warner Bros./Legendary Warner Bros./Legendary Warner Bros./Legendary Behind the Scenes Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros.

In addition to directing, Villeneuve once again co-wrote Dune: Part Three with Jon Spaihts. The two penned the previous installments together. The movie comes from Legendary Pictures with Warner Bros. Pictures serving as the distributor.

The legendary Hans Zimmer will also return to the franchise to compose the score.

Production on Dune: Part Three officially began on July 7, 2025, in Budapest.

Dune: Part Three‘s Cast Warner Bros./Legendary

Dune: Part Three will see the return of Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Paul’s sister Alia.

Jason Momoa also revealed/spoiled he’ll also be back as Duncan Idaho, even though the character died in Dune: Part One. His son, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa, and Silo’s Ida Brooke will join the franchise as Paul Atreides’ twin children, Leto II and Ghanima. In Dune: Messiah, they are also the children of Chani, but after the end of Dune: Part Two, it’s unclear if that will still be true in Villeneuve’s adaptation.

Warner Bros./Legendary

Dune: Part Three will also introduce Robert Pattinson as Scytale, one of the major villains of Dune: Messiah.

Rebecca Ferguson also recently confirmed that she will reprise her role as Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica.

Dune: Part Three‘s Release Date Warner Bros./Legendary

Dune: Part Three is scheduled to arrive in theaters for its unholy holy war on December 18, 2026.

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

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

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Categories: Nerd News

GOOD OMENS 3 Delivers Jesus, New Looks at Crowley, Aziraphale, and More

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 11:03

Good Omens season three will release on May 13, 2026. And, somehow, that’s just around the corner. Although we haven’t seen a full trailer yet for Good Omens 3, which is less a full season of TV and more a 90-minute movie, promotion for the upcoming release is ramping up. So far, Good Omens 3 has brought us a look at the second coming of Jesus Christ, new looks at our favorite duo, Crowley and Aziraphale, and a ton of sneak peeks at other familiar faces. You can check everything out below.

Prime Video Jesus Christ’s Second Coming Comes to Good Omens 3

Let’s kick off the Second Coming! #GoodOmens3 pic.twitter.com/fkXRYTgJvL

— Good Omens (@GoodOmensPrime) April 6, 2026

A Good Omens tease aptly released on the heels of Easter Sunday shows us the second coming of Jesus Christ. This time, he’s young, cute, and really doesn’t seem to know what he’s in for as he presses the button for Earth. We love him already.

Prime Video Good Omens 3 First-Look Images of Crowley and Aziraphale

Then, of course, the main event! We’ve been waiting to see them again for such a long time and here they are. David Tennant’s Crowley and Michael Sheen’s Aziraphale arrive in our first-look images at Good Omens season three. Neither one of them looks too happy, but we’re hopeful they can work it all out before time runs out on Good Omens. Crowley and Aziraphale deserve to live happily ever after together, in love and safe.

More Sneak Peeks at Good Omens 3

In addition to Crowley and Azi, we get to see a bunch of familiar faces arrive in new looks at Good Omens 3. You can check them all out above.

When Will Good Omens 3 Release and Why Is It Only One Episode?

Good Omens 3 will release on May 13, 2026.

The series was shortened into one 90-minute episode after allegations of sexual assault surfaced against author and creator Neil Gaiman. Gaiman was involved in the early stages of Good Omens season three, but had no further involvement after the allegations emerged.

You can watch the first two season of Good Omens streaming on Prime Video.

If you or someone you know is suffering from sexual abuse, contact the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

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Categories: Nerd News

Kiana Madeira on MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE’S STILL UNFAIR and FEAR STREET

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 09:00

The smell of sweet nostalgia is wafting into the air over at Hulu. The streaming service will delight a plethora of fans when Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, a revival miniseries, arrives on April 10. It shows us what life is like for Malcolm, who is all grown up like us. He’s been staying far, far away from his dysfunctional family for over a decade, but now he must return home for his parent’s 40th wedding anniversary. And he’s not coming alone. Malcolm has a loving girlfriend Tristian, played by the fabulous Kiana Madeira, and his teen daughter Leah (Keely Karsten). We caught up with Madeira to chat about what fans can expect in this revival, her nerdy activities, and if she’d ever return for another Fear Street film. 

Nerdist: Before we get into Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, let’s talk about your origin story. Tell me about your journey to become an actress. 

Kiana Madeira: I wanted to act since I was very small. I was a really shy kid. My parents would always ask my brother and I, “What do you want to do?” My brother was always about hockey, and I was like, “I want to be in movies,” because I was in love with John Travolta from Grease. I think every parent’s idea of what an actor’s supposed to be is usually the loud, outgoing kid. But I was really shy and quiet and reserved. 

I did swimming lessons and rhythmic gymnastics. I was notorious for trying something and quitting. And I was still like, “I want to be in movies, I want to be an actor.” So when I was 10, I was a little bit more out of my shell, and [my parents] said okay, I think this is something she might actually want to do. They signed me up with an agency in Toronto, Canada, where I’m from. I started auditioning, and I took a lot of acting classes. When I was 17, I booked my first big role in Canada. It was a sitcom called Really Me, and that’s really when I started to fall in love [with acting]. 

I love that. You’ve had this long acting journey, and now you’re in Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, which is really exciting. Before joining this series, what did you know about Malcolm in the Middle? Was it a show that you were familiar with as a fan? 

Madeira: I was such a fan! I grew up watching Malcolm in the Middle. It was always on at our house. I have this photo of myself in grade 5. Our teacher took a photo of us on the first day of school, and—I only realized this very recently—I was holding the Malcolm in the Middle paperback with Frankie Muniz on it…I am so excited and grateful to be a part of this revival. It’s such a full-circle moment for me.

That’s incredibly cool. Obviously, being a fan was probably one big reason why you signed on to play Tristan. But what was it about that role outside of that made you want to portray her, and what do you think fans will love about this character?

Madeira: I really wanted to play Tristan, because I think she’s a character who is pretty similar to myself energetically. I’ve played a lot of characters who are super tough and kind of confrontational and abrasive and have been through a lot. That’s not to say my character hasn’t been through a lot, because she has. [Viewers will] come to see that when they find out a little bit more about her. I love that she was also this bright light to Malcolm’s kind of chaos and overthinking tendencies.

Hulu

I love that Tristan is an anchor that keeps him focused and she speaks her mind. I think fans will really love Malcolm and Tristan’s dynamic, because she doesn’t ever want to change him. She loves all the things about him, like all his little nerdy-isms, his way of thinking, his way of being. She just lets Malcolm be Malcolm, but at the same time, she steers him in the right direction. I think that they play really well off of each other in that way.

That’s so lovely. Right now, we’re in a season right now of a bunch of reboots and revivals, right? They feel like they’re popping up almost every day! Why do you think now is the right time to bring Malcolm in the Middle’s universe back to television for a miniseries?

Madeira: I think there’s something so wonderful and comforting about nostalgia, especially when done right. The fact that it’s the original cast, I think, is huge. I don’t know how it would have been if they brought this show back with a different creator. We still have Linwood Boomer, who’s the show’s original creator and executive producer. 

Original fans have always wondered what they’ve been up to, and now their questions will be answered in a way that stays true to the original show, but is still new and refreshing and exciting.

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MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE’S STILL UNFAIR Trailer Is a Chaotic Good Time

Awesome. You came into this established dynamic of people who have worked together before, even though it was many years ago. So they’re having this reunion, but you’re a new face. What was it like to find your place within that dynamic and work with people that you literally grew up watching on television?

Madeira: Thankfully, they’re all so kind and so welcoming. Mentally it was a little intimidating when I was on the plane to Vancouver to film. I was like, “Oh, I don’t know how everyone’s gonna be,” but immediately, everyone was so welcoming and so talented and professional. But they were also just there to have fun, which I really, really liked… There was so much room to just play and be joyful in the work.

But I also really love that Tristan is also meeting them for the first time, too. To me, I could just be present in this experience… It was actually easier for me to be taking it like Tristan is because I also did that as Kiana.

Oh, yeah, I love that! If you can describe the series in 3 words, which ones would you use?

Madeira: Oh, that’s a great question. The series, I would say, is… chaotic. Lovingly chaotic. We’ll count that as one. What else? Heartfelt. There’s a lot of heart in it, which is so true to the original as well. And nostalgic in the best way. 

Netflix

I absolutely love it. You said earlier that Tristan is very different from characters you’ve played before. I think a lot of our audience at Nerdist will recognize you from playing Deena Johnson in Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy. Would you ever reprise that role if there were a chance to be able to do so?

Madeira: 100%. Deena will always have such a special place in my heart. And to this day on TikTok, I’m always talking to fans about Fear Street. Everyone’s like, “Are you guys coming back?” And I’m like, “Well, you never know.” 

I’m starting to get into producing now, so if there’s anything that I can do on my end to bring it back, I think there’s so much room to really play off of how the third movie ended off, like who took the book. There’s just so much room to play, especially with the different timelines. So I would 100% love to jump into Deena’s shoes again.

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FEAR STREET PART 1: 1994’s Best ’90s References

That would be exciting! Now, if there was a one-on-one battle between Tristan and Deena, who would win?

Madeira: It’s more complicated than it seems! I feel like at first glance, people would be like, oh, Deena for sure, but Tristan is a sleeper. I think Deena just went through way too much, she’s gonna fight to a different level. I’m gonna have to say Deena.

I don’t know, it feels a little bit more evenly matched than what it seems. Tristan is kind of a baddie. They are both baddies, really. 

Madeira: Both baddies in their own right! 

At Nerdist, we celebrate all things nerdy, from obvious things like comics and gaming to other niche interests like gardening. Kiana, what do you nerd out about the most? 

Madeira: I definitely nerd out about acting. My husband, Lovell Adams-Gray, and I, we’re both actors, so we’re always nerding out about movies. We have movie journals. So when we go to the movies, we write down the director, starring cast, memorable quotes, favorite scenes, thoughts in general, and then we rate it out of 10.

So I think that’s pretty nerdy. People stop us after the theaters, because we’ll be the ones staying behind to finish our notes, and they’re like, “Are you guys journalists? Are you reviewing the film?” And we’re like, “Yeah, you could say that.” 

I’m also a Super Mario fan. I love Mario Kart and Mario Party, and I will go on record and say that I will beat a lot of people on Mario Kart. I’m really good at Mario Kart, especially on the Switch. I play on the hard level, I don’t use the track guide, I can play without the track guide, so those who know, know that’s not easy.

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair hits Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ on April 10.

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Categories: Nerd News

THE BOYS Season 5 Is Brutal, Bonkers, and Brilliant (Review)

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 09:00

It is incredibly rare for a television series to remain consistent with its overall quality for years and seasons at a time. Effective and even character and worldbuilding, delivering enthralling entertainment without sacrificing pacing, and giving its audience storytelling and emotional payoffs is not an easy feat to repeat. Since its debut in 2019, Prime Video’s The Boys has been the perfect example of TV done right: quality in each episode, supreme character development, wholly entertaining scenes that strike the balance between hilarious, disturbing, painful, and absurd, and stories that truly resonate.

That’s been true for the show’s first four seasons, and it remains so in The Boys season five’s first seven episodes. Even without seeing the series finale, I’m beyond confident that The Boys will go down in history as one of the greatest TV shows of the 21st century. 

Things start off at a fever pitch in America. Half of the Boys are still in a “freedom camp” (read: detention center for anyone whom the government deems a “threat”) after a year, while the others are on their own emotional and mental journeys. After their reunion, they have to grapple with everything they’ve experienced to this point while fighting seemingly insurmountable forces. They find themselves divided on pretty much everything, from their macro mission to micro decision towards their ultimate goal: to kill Homelander. 

Like those who champion for true freedom and equality, they wonder if their efforts are in vain and if it is even worth it to try to save people who don’t want to be saved. Religious zealotry, deadly groupthink, raging sexism, willful ignorance, and the almighty enemy called capitalism are just as massive as a seemingly unkillable and psychotic supe.

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5 BIG Questions That THE BOYS Season 5 Must Answer

Speaking of him, Homelander has achieved almost everything he thought he wanted as he runs the country and controls the current POTUS and VP with Sage’s smarts driving him towards destruction. He’s becoming more unraveled by the second, realizing that all the power and influence in the world won’t heal his deep core wounds and delusions. Admittedly, The Boys season five can be hard to watch considering its parallels to our current political climate. But, it takes what we are seeing unfold in real-time and filters it through a superpowered lens, diving into what it means to live, to die, to believe, and to ultimately win.

The Boys doesn’t skimp on its elements that made it a global success. There’s plenty of blood, guts, diabolical moments, and sharp, witty dialogue. We get a lot of jokes and in-universe commercials/comments that clearly poke fun at our own f**ked up world. And, it doesn’t waste a single second of screentime, delivering humor, heart, and pure hell (in the best way) in every episode.

Boy, do I love how the series has stuck with an “eight episodes a season” format throughout its run. There’s no time for bulls**t as things move quicker than the A-Train, baby. There’s quality in every single one as the show honors fans’ staunch loyalty and thirst for questions that need answers. 

Prime Video

But this final round also gives us plenty of emotionally resonant moments as we dive deeper into the psyche of all of its primary and secondary characters. There’s darkness, liberation, realizations, revelations, and quite a few full circle moments for some satisfying and heartbreaking conclusions. Every single returning actor continues to bring their A+ game, and the new additions to this story provide the perfect setup for the Vought Rising prequel. There’s room for empathy with antagonistic forces and questioning the morality of protagonists, a rich soup of character complexity.

Solid and quality cameos, shocking twists, and a surefire trajectory towards a chaotic and cathartic ending, The Boys managed to achieve the impossible. Unless it completely blunders the finale, I can confidently say that every single season and episode of this show is excellent. While it is sad to see the series go, it is the right time to say goodbye. Eric Kripke took The Boys comic source material and elevated it in live-action, crafting one of the most brutal, bonkers, and brilliant shows in decades.

The Boys season five begins its final battle on April 8.

The Boys season five ⭐ (5 of 5)

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Categories: Nerd News

MAUL: SHADOW LORD Stars Sam Witwer and Gideon Adlon Talk Insecure Darth Maul and More

Mon, 04/06/2026 - 08:53

Darth Maul’s Star Wars story seemed to end before it even really begin. Only, Obi-Wan Kenobi cutting him down in The Phantom Menace was the best thing that could have happened to the Sith apprentice. Or at least it was the best thing that could have happened to fans. He has become one of the most compelling figures in the galaxy far, far away. Darth Maul’s story has continued in books, comics, and, most importantly, animated series. Now he’s ready to star in his own Disney+ show, Maul: Shadow Lord.

He won’t be the only Force user to appear, though. Inquisitors are on the hunt for him while he’s on the hunt for a new apprentice of his own, a former Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66. What can we expect from this important era of Darth Maul’s life? What about from the Jedi he hopes to mentor, Devon? To find out all of that and much more, Nerdist spoke to the stars of the show, longtime voice of Darth Maul, Sam Witwer, and Star Wars newcomer Gideon Adlon, the franchise’s newest young Jedi.

Nerdist: Gideon, you are now and forever a Jedi. Have you thought about what that will mean for you for the rest of your life?

Gideon Adlon: Not yet, but now I will. I think what it might mean is that I get to be part of this pretty incredible world that has been being built since what? The early ’70s? And that gets bigger and bigger every day and changes people’s lives all the time? That’s pretty great. That’s very special as an artist to be welcomed in.

Sam, you’ve been a big part of the galaxy far, far away for a long time. What advice, if any, have you given Gideon about being a part of a legendary global franchise with a fan base this big and this passionate?

Sam Witwer: Oh, what’s interesting about Gideon is that she does not need the guidance. She knows what she’s doing. She’s a stone-cold professional, and she follows her instincts very well. So if I were to give her advice-

Adlon: I always ask Sam for guidance. I do.

Witwer: She gets it, man, she gets it. She totally gets it. Gideon’s right at home in the Star Wars universe, and we are so very lucky to have her. I will say right now, I can’t imagine anyone else playing this role. She owned it the moment she walked in, and it is such a surprising, cool, unleashed performance in terms of how much she brings to it. It’s fantastic. Great, great character.

Lucasfilm

I’ve seen the first eight episodes, and I know who Devon reminds me of, but I’m curious Gideon, what other Star Wars figures, both Jedi and non-Jedi alike, do you think she shares important DNA with?

Adlon: Can I be honest? I’ve never compared Devon to anyone. I really haven’t, I don’t think.

Witwer: Fantastic answer.

Adlon: Yeah, I haven’t compared her to anyone, but I’m curious who you think she is similar to.

I think there are definitely connections with Ahsoka. Absolutely meaningful differences, but I do think they share some of the same DNA.

Adlon: Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised, but I don’t know. Literally, I don’t. And I’ve never thought about that, but that’s interesting.

Lucasfilm

Sam, you’ve now played Darth Maul for a very long time across many shows spanning many periods of his life. What new things did you learn about the character as you worked on Shadow Lord that maybe you didn’t already know about him?

Witwer: At this point in his life, he’s reassessing absolutely everything, and, in some ways, very confused. Imagine having the rug pulled out from under you as the world around you changes, because it used to be the Galactic Republic in the Clone Wars, and now it’s the Galactic Empire. And Maul thought he knew what that meant, because at one point he was one of the architects of the Galactic Empire. This is not that. This is not what Maul expected. This isn’t the world he thought the Empire would bring.

This is also a world in which, everywhere he looks, he sees the hand of his old master, Darth Sidious. And also his first tormentor, Darth Sidious, his father figure, the guy that really mistreated him and made him into what he is. So yeah, it’s a giant rug pull.

Lucasfilm

The Shadow Collective kind of dispersed when the Clone Wars ended. All the people he thought would be there for him are not there for him. But further, understanding now that Sidious is really the source of so much suffering in the galaxy, how does essentially the son of Sidious process this? What does he think he has to do because of all this? What does he think of everything Sidious ever taught him? And what does he think of the Jedi Knights? Because what he knew about them was inherited from Sidious.

Now he’s kind of coming online in terms of his ability to think for himself. But as to how far that’s going to take him? Well, we shall see, but this is more of a free-thinking, inquisitive Maul than we’ve ever seen before. And there’s a real insecurity to that. There’s a real insecurity to not being certain about everything. So you’ll notice he is actually reaching out to people somewhat, especially since he had loyalty at one point. He had Savage Opress, which is one of the most ridiculously rare things in the galaxy, for a dark side user to be loyal. And yet he had it. Then Sidious took it away from him. So he’s dealing with all that stuff. He’s dealing with the trauma of that, and we’re going to see where that sends him in this story.

Lucasfilm

Gideon, obviously, you start developing the character of Devon when you get the scripts, and you talk it out with the writers and creators, but what did you only learn about her when you got into the recording studio?

Adlon: She’s very deep. She’s very young, but she’s old. [Devon]’s been around, and I think she’s experienced more at her young age than most people do in a lifetime. And you can really see that through the writing. It’s conveyed. But also just the way that she acts out her story. That’s what I felt through her and through performing what was written for.

I think that definitely comes across. She feels like an old soul. I don’t know what the term they use in the galaxy is, but definitely an old soul.

What are you both most excited for people to see when the show premieres?

Witwer: (a long laugh) The finale. Yeah, I think so. Devon, what do you think? I just called you, Devon, by the way.

Adlon: I love it. I didn’t even flinch.

Lucasfilm

Honestly, the animation style is so different, so beautiful, and everybody worked so hard. It’s seamless. Looks like a painting, really. And also the performances and the writing. I’m just excited for people to see what we’ve all done with it. Obviously, to see this new storyline and learn about this new chapter of Star Wars, but really, how people recognize what it took for all these artists to put this together. That is what excites me the most.

Witwer: We were told the mandate was, do everything that we’ve done before, but better.” See if we can bring the performances to new heights, make the animation better, make the lighting more evocative, make the cinematography more exciting and surprising, make the writing more jagged and interesting. Just everything. We just tried to up the ante when it came to every single aspect of production.

And, in some ways, what I’m most proud of is that you don’t need to know anything to watch this show. Everyone always wants it, “Oh, well, what do I need to know about Maul? Didn’t he die? Did he die? Did he come back?” All this stuff? None of that. None of that. You don’t need to know any of it. We’ve got you.

Lucasfilm

This show, for as deep as it goes into the Star Wars lore, this could be a show that someone who’s never seen Star Wars could enjoy just like everyone else. There’s no homework you have to do. We will walk you through it. In the same way that George Lucas, in the very first Star Wars, had a dizzying amount of information to get through about space wizards and the Clone Wars. Like, “Your dad fought the Clone Wars and all this stuff. And the dog who was the co-pilot to the spaceship and the Jawas and the Galactic Empire, Darth Vader and droids,” all of that information in Star Wars felt breezy. And I’m very proud that in this show, we likewise introduce our version of Star Wars in a very breezy manner.

I would love to hear what a new audience member would think about it because it was designed for them and the fans at the same time.

I’m an old fan, so I can’t give you that answer. I can tell you I think this might be the best-looking animated Star Wars series yet.

Witwer: (Animation Supervisor) Keith Kellogg, the animation team, (cinematography and effects lead) Joel Aron, all of those guys, they just killed it. They killed it. And (executive producer) Athena Portillo, I mean, she’s the general. She really, really pushed all of these departments to go as far as they could go.

Maul: Shadow Lord premieres at Disney+ on April 6, 2026.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. He does not want to root for Maul, but is start to waver. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Categories: Nerd News

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