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Wendy’s Brings Back Nostalgic Yellow Packaging This Fall
- In a bid to appeal to nostalgic Millennials who fondly recall the ’90s, Wendy’s is bringing back its iconic bright yellow packaging for a limited time.
- The bright yellow color scheme will once again adorn French fry cartons and drink cups, just like it did back in the day.
- Nerdist’s take: Wendy’s hopes the retro packaging will make its customers think of simpler times, and it will probably work.
The world outside our windows is one in constant turmoil. We suppose you can say that about any era, but it feels especially bad lately. So in times like these, people always turn to the comfort of nostalgia. They’re nostalgic about movies, TV, toys, fashion, and, for some reason, drinking out of the garden hose. But that nostalgia also extends to fast food chains. Earlier this year, McDonald’s brought back their friend apple pies after decades off the menu. And now, via Today, we’ve learned that Wendy’s is bringing back their iconic bright yellow packaging, after years of using a minimalist red and white motif.
Wendy’s
The return of the classic yellow color scheme at Wendy’s locations begins later this month. It arrives several years after the fast food giant decided that the bright yellow was too dated and not hip, even though it was their visual calling card. In a statement, a Wendy’s spokesperson said, “Fans have been asking for its return for years, making it one of the most requested comebacks in Wendy’s history. Yellow has been part of Wendy’s since the very beginning and is something many fans instantly recognize.” The yellow packaging isn’t permanent, and the regular color scheme returns in early 2027.
The iconic yellow will soon appear on Wendy’s French fry cartons, cups, and more. This is sure to make nostalgic Millennials and Gen Xers flock to their local Wendy’s establishments, have a Frosty, and remind themselves of simpler times in the ’90s, before it felt like everything was going to hell in a handbasket. Sadly, the actual Wendy’s locations probably won’t go back to their ‘ 90s-era look, which would be amazing. Several Pizza Hut locations are doing that very thing, and going back to their original old look. Wendy’s fans will just have to settle for a bright yellow cup for their sodas. At least for now.
Eric Diaz is a staff writer at Nerdist and a Swiss Army knife of fandoms. Eric loves DC, Marvel, horror movies, and even Star Wars and Star Trek equally.The post Wendy’s Brings Back Nostalgic Yellow Packaging This Fall appeared first on Nerdist.
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Trump’s latest attack on the Smithsonian is dumb and expensive
Since taking office again, President Donald Trump has been tarnishing the image of Washington, D.C., but perhaps no entity has felt his wrath quite like the Smithsonian Institution. Earlier this summer, following an absurd report that criticized the museum for erasing America’s “heritage,” Trump ordered that signs be installed outside the Smithsonian to warn visitors of what he claims is…
Greta Gerwig’s First NARNIA Movie Is a Bowie-Inspired ‘Rock Opera’
- Greta Gerwig says her first Chronicles of Narnia movie, The Magician’s Nephew, is a “rock opera” without music inspired by ’60s British glam.
- Gerwig cites Aslan singing Narnia into existence and her love of David Bowie and other iconic musicians as the inspiration for her film.
- Nerdist’s Take: A non-musical rock opera take on The Chronicles of Narnia is a choice we have no idea will work or not.
Whatever I expected from Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia movies, I promise “non-musical rock opera inspired by David Bowie” was not among my predictions. But that’s exactly what she plans to deliver with her first film in the franchise, the upcoming Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. She will transport fans to the fantasy realm by giving it a British glam makeover.
Just, again so it’s clear, it will not be a musical. Just completely inspired by music and musicians.
EXCLUSIVE 🪩
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is a rock inspired fantasy nodding to David Bowie and The Who.
“Narnia is literally a world made out of music,” she tells Empire. “Rock’n’roll to me felt like a world made out of music.”
Read more:… pic.twitter.com/nGp4soDYuf
The Barbie and Lady Bird director told Empire all about the personal inspiration behind her upcoming take on C.S. Lewis’ iconic fantasy series. “I wanted a rock opera,” she said. “I wanted it to be big and transporting.” Specifically she’s moving Lewis’ story from around the turn of the 20th century to 1950s Great Britain. When the children in the story then travel to other realms they will see a world inspired by the British glam scene of the ’60s and ’70s. The colorful, glitzy first images from the film show what that will look like.
Netflix/Peter Mountain-David Bowie
Gerwig said the idea came from the musicians who she credits with “saving” her life, legends like David Bowie, Paul McCartney, David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant. “Narnia is literally a world made out of music,” she said. And because Aslan (whom Meryl Streep will voice) sand that magical world into existence, Gerwig made her version out of the of rock and roll she loves so much.
Despite being a “rock opera” her first Narnia movie is not a musical. It sounds like a musical, yes, but it’s musical in style-only. Not in songs. Which…you know….it’s a choice. All of this is very much a choice.
🚨WORLD-EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK 🚨
Greta Gerwig opens the doors to Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew in the new issue of Empire – detailing her revolutionary rock’n’roll adaptation.
Here’s your first look at Aslan – and he’s voiced by the legendary Meryl Streep.
On sale Thurs… pic.twitter.com/zsXC1yRkJD
Will it work? As someone who has read all of Lewis Narnia books I feel confident saying, “I have no idea.” It’s not that Gerwig’s comments mean nothing or that I don’t have faith in her. It’s that they only tell us about her concept and inspiration. Everything that makes sense to her might not land with audiences. Or it might feel, well, inspired.
We won’t find out whether a music-less rock opera opera approach works or not until Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew arrives in theaters February 12, 2027.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow Mikey on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.The post Greta Gerwig’s First NARNIA Movie Is a Bowie-Inspired ‘Rock Opera’ appeared first on Nerdist.
Cory Mills’ Career Imploded. Then His Grenade Factory Exploded.
Last month, Cory Mills’ career in Congress imploded when the Florida Republican lost his primary by 13 points. Now part of a weapons facility operated by a company that Mills co-owns has exploded.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening at a Pacem Defense facility in northern Florida and caused no injuries, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Mills, who entered Congress in 2023, has said that he stepped away from running his arms companies years ago, but he still owns a majority stake in Pacem Defense, according to his most recent congressional financial disclosure.
The explosion at Pacem Defense, which specialized in making and selling high explosive grenades to foreign militaries, was apparently massive. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office said in its statement that one building at the Pacem facility sustained “significant damage” in the explosion, adding on Facebook that “[m]any residents heard and felt” it. One person who lives about three miles away from the facility wrote on the site that her brick home started shaking.
The sheriff’s office said that neither of the workers who were at Pacem Defense at the time of the explosion was harmed. It added that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Defense, and the Florida state Fire Marshal’s office are now involved in the investigation.
The blowup is only the latest challenge for Mills. Since 2025, the scandal-plagued Florida man has been accused of stealing valor, placed under a restraining order by a judge after subjecting an ex-girlfriend to “dating violence” via cyberstalking, and was nearly arrested after being accused of domestic assault by a different girlfriend. (That partner later retracted the allegation, and no charges were filed.) As I reported in a February profile of Mills, the full list is much longer.
Nevertheless, Mills managed to secure Donald Trump’s “Complete and Total Endorsement” earlier this year. Despite that support, Mills was easily defeated in his August primary by Ryan Elijah, a former local TV news anchor.
In late 2025, Pacem indefinitely furloughed many of its employees after racking up tens of millions of dollars in debt, according to court records. It has remained largely shuttered since then, a former employee told me on Thursday. (In March, Craig Pittman called the Pacem facility a “ticking time bomb.”)
According to a Florida court filing, Pacem ended up owing a Canadian lender more than $66 million. In another case, Pacem is subject to an order under which it is obligated to pay $8 million to an arms company that bought grenades from Pacem but never received them. A status update submitted in federal court on Wednesday states that Pacem has still not “paid any portion of the judgment amount.”
Mills’ financial disclosure states that he also maintains a 100 percent interest in Pacem Estate Holdings, the real estate entity that owns the site where the explosion on Wednesday occurred. According to court records, Pacem Estate Holdings continued to receive $12,000 per month in rent from another Pacem entity while the company’s employees were out of work.
Last Thursday, after remaining mostly silent on social media in the wake of his primary defeat, Mills struck a defiant tone on X—posing in front of a wall of fire and water in a tight polo with a Swiss watch that can sell for tens of thousands of dollars.
A Phoenix rises from the ashes. Our fight is far from over!
pic.twitter.com/wVa4rB5LhP
“A Phoenix rises from the ashes,” Mills declared. Six days later, the ashes appear to have become real.
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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. delivered remarks at the Children’s Health Defense conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The anti-vaccine advocacy organization, once led by Kennedy, was excited to hear that Kennedy is still dismissive of the measles outbreak that has claimed the lives of both children and adults. “We care about every child who dies from…
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LEGO’s JURASSIC PARK Jeep Caused Me an Unexpected Conundrum
- LEGO’s fantastic Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler set is fantastic, but one of the best things about it also caused me an unexpected problem.
- You can complete this 18+ model in one of four ways, so you can choose the version from the movie you like best.
- Nerdist’s Take: The challenging LEGO’s Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler is perfect so long as you can accept your display being slightly less than fully accurate.
Earlier this year, LEGO sent me its new Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler set. Even though it doesn’t feature any dinosaurs it’s still my favorite release yet from LEGO’s ever-expanding dinosaur collection because it celebrates a truly iconic cinematic automobile. That jeep, seen in various forms, is a big part of multiple memorable moments from an all-time great film. And this versatile set celebrates exactly that by letting you build it four different ways. It lets you recreate and easily switch between the exact model seen during your favorite moment in Jurassic Park.
That’s also why this LEGO Jeep Wrangler has caused me a problem I will never be able to solve.
Nerdist
The 1924-piece, 1:10 scale model LEGO Jurassic World: Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler set is essentially perfect outside of its lengthy official name and an issue that will only impact absurd people like me. It comes with two booklets of instructions that are generally easy to follow. However, this 18+ set is still a challenge to construct. There are also a few especially difficult elements that can be extra tricky. The windshield area requires a deft touch. The same is true of the footboard that runs along each side. And the front side of the set includes a grappling hook on a working winch that also features my most dreaded LEGO element, a small string. (Not joking. LEGO strings and me are not pals.)
There are also so many wonderful little details that snap in without much support that I sometimes knocked them off when I was a little too careless. The good news is that those are generally easy to reattach.
One of my favorite touches is that this jeep works. The front wheels move and can be covertly controlled by the spare tire on the back. It’s a clever little way to let you operate the vehicle without trying to turn the tiny steering wheel inside. It also boasts working doors, movable headrests, and a liftable hood complete with a full engine. While I am keeping mine as a display model, those interactive aspects means it also works as a very fun toy.
It also comes with a perfect Dennis Nedry minifig. Dodgson’s pal comes with a tiny fake bottle of shaving cream, a head mold with two faces, and removable hood and hair pieces. (There’s a spot to hide the unused one behind the plaque.) The set also comes with a replica of the map he knocked over in the rainstorm while trying to flee with the stolen embryos. And yes, it spins so he’ll never know the right direction.
Nerdist
This collection really does has everything both a LEGO and Jurassic Park fan could want short of an actual dinosaur. Technically it has more because this is unlike most LEGO sets. You can finish it multiple ways. The instructions and extra pieces allow you to complete yours in one of four different models. Well, it’s really three, with one having two variations that only change the jeep’s number and nothing else.
One of those models is the way the jeep is first seen in Jurassic Park, when John Hammond brings his experts to see dinosaurs for the first time. This open-air version has roll bars. It’s the version of the Jurassic Park jeep I picture in my mind when I think about it because I think that’s Spielberg’s greatest sequence ever.
It’s easier to build those roll bars than you might think. However, I did initially screw it up by not paying attention. They snap in easily and they come off without any problem if you want to change your LEGO jeep. (The biggest pains when switching are the little tag hanging from the rearview mirror and the hood piece with the jeep’s number.) This version also comes with two variations, as there are stickers and plates for both the jeep number Hammond was in and the one the doctors were in.
Why anyone would choose Hammond and his lawyer’s car (#29) over Grant, Sattler, and Malcolm’s (#18) I do not know. I don’t need to know, either. I’ll just assume you’re related to the late Richard Attenborough because that’s the only thing that makes sense.
Nerdist
The second (technically third) variation is the #12 version of the jeep seen during Nedry’s failed escape. There’s a reason the company used this as the model for the front of the box. This iteration includes both a canopy tarp and flood lights attached to the windshield. Those lights only go on this version and not the others. The canopy is also so much easier to put on and take off then I expected.
I love how this one looks. It looks great. The same is true of the headlights. They are a great example of the care and design that went into this set.
(I genuinely had so much fun putting it together for the same reasons I loved putting together LEGO’s Jaws Orca boat. You get to appreciate both the engineering of LEGO masters and the engineering that goes into a vehicle.)
Nerdist
The flood lights aren’t exactly a breeze to remove because the windshield is among the most delicate parts. But it’s not exactly that hard, either. Even when I accidentally removed more pieces than I wanted I was able to fix everything quickly enough.
The only downside to the nighttime-rain Jeep is that it contributes to the conundrum I can’t solve.
Nerdist
The final version of the Wrangler (#10) has the most variation of all the models. It’s the jeep used to pick up an injured Malcolm, the one from the iconic T-Rex chase scene. This variation loses the canopy, the floodlights, and also the roll bars. Instead it gets boxes you can open to reveal tools (and a rubber duck) for extra authenticity. It also comes with a mini video camera, because like I said this is a set by people who love the movie for people who love the movie.
Nerdist
This is also the version with maybe the single most fun detail. The driver’s side-view mirror has a special sticker of the T.rex chasing the car as seen in the film.
It’s the best. It’s perfect. And it’s the single reason this set has caused me a problem I can’t avoid without hitting the lottery.
Nerdist
The are four different sets of pieces for the parts that require number stickers. (The hood, two for each door, and one for both the front and the back.) However, there are only two side-view mirrors total. No matter which of the four versions of the Wrangler you make, you will always have a rear view mirror that shows the T-Rex running you down. You see the problem, right?
The T-Rex doesn’t chase the #29, #18, or #12 jeeps. It only chases the #10. It only chases the number 10.
If you want to display yours in that style, it’s great. No problem! The side-view mirror is exactly right and always will be. Only, the plaque and mini-figure really go with the #12. So in either case your display is not 100% right.
Even worse for me? I don’t prefer either. I want celebrate my favorite Spielberg scene with the #18 jeep. And that’s a major issue because I also suffer from “dumb brain?” (Self-diagnosed.) I can’t display this jeep in anyway that is 100% “right,” but my preferred version is the most “wrong.”
This is an impossible situation I will think about for the rest of my life because there’s no solution. I mean, it’s not really a problem for most people but for those of you like me? You get it. You get it.
Nerdist
I mean, technically there is a solution. It’s just not feasible. Ideally, I would simply buy multiple versions at $199.99 each so I could display all four models. I would also buy extra sets so I could get three extra side-view mirror stickers for authenticity. But that is definitely not happening.
Unlike John Hammond, I will spare some expense.
Ultimately I opted to go with my beloved #18, which is now proudly on display in my home proudly, a testament to a great movie, a great movie car, and a great LEGO set. I just wish it wasn’t also a testament to the silly problems my brain will create for itself.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow Mikey on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.The post LEGO’s JURASSIC PARK Jeep Caused Me an Unexpected Conundrum appeared first on Nerdist.
Grand Theft Auto VI: A Playlist in Progress
- Rockstar has announced a Grand Theft Auto VI soundtrack album ahead of the game’s November release date.
- Six of the thirty-four tracks have been revealed, but the recent extended look confirmed many more songs are coming for the forthcoming game.
- Nerdist’s Take: There hasn’t been a bad Grand Theft Auto soundtrack yet, and I doubt Rockstar’s gonna start now.
Greetings fellow pedestrian-killers and car-jackers! Grand Theft Auto VI is so close I can taste it. Rockstar’s recent extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI has somehow raised the hype even further for one of the most-hyped games of all time. There’s a million things to dissect from the twenty-six minute video, but I’m here to focus on one thing in particular: the music. If you’re anything like me (a last-gasp millennial who had unfettered access to video games as a child) then the Grand Theft Auto games probably helped form some of your music taste. Or, at the very least, you pop whenever you hear “All My Exes Live in Texas.” You may have sweet memories of cruising around Ocean Beach, running over tourists to the tune of Quiet Riot’s “Cum on Feel the Noize”, or mowing down local law enforcement officers with an Uzi in San Fierro, listening to Grand Funk Railroad’s “Some Kind of Wonderful” before your car is inevitably blown to smithereens. The music is a part of the complete experience of any Grand Theft Auto title. So, here are all the confirmed tracks so far from the Grand Theft Auto VI soundtrack. We’ll add more as we learn more!
All the Confirmed Grand Theft Auto VI Soundtrack Songs, So Far- “That’s It” — Yung Lean, featuring Future and Metro Boomin’
- “RHYNO” — Travis Scott
- “Sexy Magic” — CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, Pink Pantheress, Fred again.., Etienne de Crécy
- “Last Thing You Need” — Morgan Wallen
- “Macacoa 2000” — Rauw Alejandro
- “Bright Lights, Big City” — Keith Richards
- “Love is a Long Road” — Tom Petty (Trailer 1)
- “Hot Together” — The Pointer Sisters (Trailer 2)
- “Talkin’ to Myself Again” — Tammy Wynette (Trailer 2)
- “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” — Wang Cheung (Trailer 2)
- “Child Support” — Zenglen (Trailer 2)
- “Love Bites” — Def Leppard
- “Cars and Girls” — Prefab Sprout
- “People Are People” — Depeche Mode
- “Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now)” — Phil Collins
- “Inner Light” — Bob Moses and Elderbrook
- “Pop Bottles” — Birdman ft. Lil Wayne
- “Kodak Black” — Skrilla
- “Pound Town” — Sexyy Red and Tay Keith
- “Let Your Love Flow” — The Bellamy Brothers
- “But I Think It’s a Dream” — Captain & Tennille
- “Mine O’ Mine” — Aluna and Jayda G
- “Devil Woman” — Cliff Richard
- “Off the Grid” — !!! ft. Miah Pace
- “Se Me Nota (Agarrame)” — Chimbala and Omega
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Rockstar
Between celebrity chatter and fan suspicions, there’s a number of artists and songs that may or may not appear in the Grand Theft Auto VI soundtracks. Skrilla’s “Kodak Black” is already confirmed, but Skrilla said publicly that his track “Doot Doot” would also be in the game. Australian electronic band Panama says that their song with Poolside, “Back to Life”, will also be part of the soundtrack. Freddie Gibbs, famous rapper and actor, has said he appears in a side mission. Given his presence on the Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack, fans are speculating that more of his music may make an appearance.
Seems like T-Pain is confirmed to have a part in GTA 6! pic.twitter.com/ZtolDo02Nk
— Synth Potato🥔 (@SynthPotato) January 12, 2024Schoolboy Q, Ski Mask the Slump God, and T-Pain have also indicated they’ll be involved, but didn’t mention any potential songs.
First Look at the GTA 6 load screen https://t.co/PkquT6OzSB pic.twitter.com/XOgghWKcUb
— Ash🎨 🎭 🎮 (@FleurashDesign) March 25, 2025Megan Thee Stallion’s recent Vice City-style photo shoot also has fans wondering about how she and her music might figure into the Grand Theft Auto VI soundtrack.
There’s also a nameless Spotify playlist that Rockstar has made, potentially confirming a great deal of songs. I don’t know how accurate it will be to the final tracklist, but I’m listening to it in the meantime anyway. Stay tuned for more updates on Grand Theft Auto VI‘s soundtrack!
Jess Harshbarger writes about movies, TV, games, comics, and all things nerdy for Nerdist.The post Grand Theft Auto VI: A Playlist in Progress appeared first on Nerdist.
