Marvel tarot cards? Check. Renewals for some of our favorite shows? Check. A Paddington Bear musical? Check. The Northern Lights for breakfast? Check.
Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.
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- House of the Dragon Seasons 3 and 4 Are Already In Active Discussion
- Twisted Metal Has Been Renewed for Season 2
- Hasbro Announces New X-Men ’97 Inspired Marvel Legends Figures
- A Paddington Bear Musical Is in the Works (And a Game of Thrones Play)
- Foundation Has Been Renewed for Season 3
- A Marvel Tarot Deck Could Be Perfect for the Nerdy Witch in Your Life
- Netflix Finally Releases Some Viewership Numbers
- Max Renews Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake for Season 2
- LetterBoxd Adds Movie Showtimes to Help Get Folks to Theaters
- Build a Festive Cin-Gingerbread House with Cinnamon Toast Crunch Kit
- Robert Pattinson Is an Unhinged Heron in The Boy and the Heron
- Icelandic Provisions Potions Kit Wants You to Turn Skyr Yogurt Into the Northern Lights
House of the Dragon Seasons 3 and 4 Are Already In Active Discussion
House of the Dragon season two hasn’t even arrived yet, but happily for Game of Thrones fans G.R.R. Martin is already discussing seasons three and four of the series with Max series showrunner Ryan Condal. Martin shared in a blog post, “I also spent two days locked in a room with Ryan Condal and his writing staff (Sara Hess, Ti Mikkel, David Hancock, and Philippa Goslett) talking about the third and fourth seasons of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. They were lively, fun discussions, and we got some good work done… though two days was not nearly enough. There is so much ground to cover that I am not sure twenty days would have been enough.”
Of course, House of the Dragon has not yet been renewed beyond season two, but we feel confident it will be… and so does Martin. For now, you can check out the teaser trailer for season two of the show.
Twisted Metal Has Been Renewed for Season 2
Everyone’s favorite post-apocalyptic dramedy will return for a season two. Peacock announced their series adaptation of the Twisted Metal game would be back for more end-of-the-world adventures sooner rather than later. Anthony Mackie stars in the live-action TV show based on the iconic PlayStation game. We can’t wait to see him back behind the wheel as John Doe. And, of course, more Sweet Tooth the Clown is exactly what we need in our lives.
Hasbro Announces New X-Men ’97 Inspired Marvel Legends Figures
We’re very excited for Marvel Studio’s upcoming animated series, X-Men ‘97. In celebration of this reboot of X-Men: The Animated Series, Hasbro has launched a new line of X-Men ‘97-inspired Marvel Legends figures. These include figures of Magneto, Nightcrawler, Jean Grey, Goblin Queen, The X-Cutioner, and Cyclops.
Here are some of the stories we’d love to see X-Men ’97 tackle.
A Paddington Bear Musical Is in the Works (And a Game of Thrones Play)
Time to put on your red hat and get ready for adventure. A Paddington Bear musical is officially in the works. According to Variety, it will be released in 2025. Not much is known about Paddington: The Musical yet, but its creative team shares, “We cannot wait to bring Paddington, his antics, adventures and mishaps with the Brown family, and Michael Bond’s other treasured characters to the stage. We hope to inspire audiences of all ages with fun, beauty, joy, and all that Paddington stands for.”
Additionally, a Game of Thrones play is in the works and eyeing a 2024 release. G.R.R. Martin shares in a blog post, “one of the meetings I had in London was with Dominick and Duncan, the director and scriptwriter of our own stage play, the one we have been working on for the past few years. Originally we were calling it HARRENHAL, but we have now settled on THE IRON THRONE as a title… until we think of something better. Regardless, things are coming well, I think, and we are hopeful of being able to open in late 2024.”
As we wait for updates on these, check out what we know about Paddington Bear 3.
Foundation Has Been Renewed for Season 3
‘Tis the season for renewals. The sci-fi epic Foundation will return for a season three. So, we guess the Lee Pace shower battle scene really did the trick. We can’t wait to see more from Foundation‘s epic cast and nuanced world in the near future.
A Marvel Tarot Deck Could Be Perfect for the Nerdy Witch in Your Life
Still trying to fill up a stocking? This Marvel tarot deck could be just the thing for the nerdy witch in your life. This deck features “78 cards with art of characters like She-Hulk, Captain America, Spider-Man, and more” and is available at BoxLunch. We’re already obsessed.
These fantasy cardigans would also make delightful gifts.
Netflix Finally Releases Some Viewership Numbers
It is about time we see some transparency from Netflix. On the heels of gains made during Hollywood’s strikes, the streamer has released concrete viewership numbers for its many shows. The information reflects “what people watched on Netflix over a six-month period.” Coming out on top was The Night Agent, while Nerdist favorite Wednesday landed as the fourth most-watched show in second half of 2023. Fascinatingly enough, the now-canceled series Shadow and Bone also seemed to perform favorably. We guess we’ll have to wait and see how this information transparency shapes the landscape.
We’re crossing our fingers Netflix’s One Piece will land at the top of the charts when Netflix releases its next report. It was one of our best TV shows of 2023.
Max Renews Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake for Season 2
It’s time for more Adventure Time. Max has renewed the Adventure Time spinoff series Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake for a second season. Season one was absolutely adorable, so we can’t wait for more adventures with these alternate universe versions of Finn and Jake.
Here’s season one’s trailer if you haven’t watched it yet.
LetterBoxd Adds Movie Showtimes to Help Get Folks to Theaters
People head to LetterBoxd to get the scoop on what’s good in the world of movies. And now, if something sounds particularly excellent, users can also immediately see when the movie is playing in theaters in the LetterBoxd interface. This update only makes sense. We first saw this news on The Hollywood Reporter.
If you want to know more about what was good in theaters this year, you can also check out our 2023 “Best Of” list.
Build a Festive Cin-Gingerbread House with Cinnamon Toast Crunch Kit
Admit it, gingerbread is like your tenth favorite holiday cookie. It could use an update. And that’s why Cinnamon Toast Crunch has made Gingerbread Toast Crunch. And you can even build a Cin-Gingerbread House instead this Christmas season. You can get this festive kit online now. It includes quite a few things, including an ugly sweater and Gingerbread Toast Crunch, but our favorite pieces are the Cinnamon Toast Crunch icing and Cinnadust. Those things sound like they’d be good on a Cin-Gingerbread house, but also just good. Happy Holidays!
Follow this treat up with some Doritos Nacho Cheese liquor.
Robert Pattinson Is an Unhinged Heron in The Boy and the Heron
When we heard that Robert Pattinson would play the Grey Heron in the latest Studio Ghibli film, we were delighted. And he did not disappoint. But don’t take our word for it. Check out the clip of Pattinson as an unhinged heron above. And then head to theaters to watch the Miyazaki movie.
You can also check out the full English-language dub trailer for the film:
Icelandic Provisions Potions Kit Wants You to Turn Skyr Yogurt Into the Northern Lights
Firstly, why have normal yogurt when you can have Icelandic Skyr from Icelandic Provisions? Skyr is “akin to yogurt but has a different texture thanks to the heirloom Icelandic cultures used to make it. It takes nearly four cups of milk to make one cup of Skyr, making it thicker, and creamier than yogurt.” It’s also just delicious. But if you’re going to have Skyr, why not cast a spell to turn it into the Northern Lights?
Icelandic Provisions has created a kit that brings the majesty of the Northern Lights to your breakfast. And it kind of makes you feel like a witch brewing a potion when you do. Also, there’s glitter. It’s delightful. And it’s just right for the feeling of the Winter Solstice.
A release shares, “The Icelandic Provisions Northern Lights Skyr Kit (retail price: $11) will allow fans to create their own version of this iconic natural phenomenon with wholesome, vibrant ingredients that evoke the stunning colors of the lights and celebrate the earthy elements of the Icelandic landscape.” You can join the waitlist now to know first when the kits go on sale. Fans who register will also be entered into a contents to win a trip to Iceland to see its breathtaking scenery and maybe the Northern Lights in person!
And, if you want one picture that says a thousand words. Here’s what became of my preview kit.
Originally published on December 14, 2023.