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What is a director, even one of Hollywood’s best, supposed to do after delivering an epic Best Picture winner? For Christopher Nolan, the answer is making one of the most famous epics ever. After some wild speculation and some big name casting news, we finally know exactly what story he will after Oppenheimer. Universal Pictures announced Nolan’s next movie is an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey.

The Latest Casting News From Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

The latest casting news from The Hollywood Reporter reveals four new cast members for The Odyssey: Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Bill Irwin and Samantha Morton. Once again, we don’t know who they will play in this film.

Deadline also reveals that Oppenheimer‘s Benny Safdie will reteam with Christopher Nolan on The Odyssey. In Opphenheimer, Safdie played physicist Edward Teller. But there’s no telling yet who the actor will play in this upcoming adventure.

Christopher Nolan Is Heading to Real-Life Odysseus Stop, Goat Island

Christopher Nolan isn’t known to do anything by halves, and for his latest movie, The Odyssey, he’s taking his crew to the real-life location that Homer supposedly imagined Odysseus visited, Goat Island in Siciliy—also known as Favignana island. Reports indicate the movie will also film in Sicily’s Eolian islands, U.K. and Morocco.

But what could measure up to a real-world location that Odysseus wandered through in his epic tale, cooking goats and gathering supplies? Nothing, if you ask us.

More About Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan is moving on after Oppenheimer by going back. Way back. Described as a “mythic action epic,” his version of the ancient epic poem The Odyssey will rely on cutting edge technology to bring the story to life. Universal Pictures said the longtime IMAX enthusiast will be using “brand new” tech to shoot for the large-scale format.

But how he will shoot the film isn’t nearly as interesting as to what the film is actually about. It’s hard to imagine anyone would have guessed Nolan would adapt The Odyssey even if they had 20 years to figure it out. (If you don’t get that reference, this movie will be very educational for you!) Even then, there’s still so much we don’t know about the project. Will this be a traditional, faithful adaptation? Will it be a modern take on the story? And will Armand Assante and George Clooney appear for a Spider-Man: No Way Home style crossover?

While we don’t know any setting or style specifics, we can guess who is playing Odysseus. Matt Damon is set to lead the star-studded film. Nolan’s The Odyssey will also feature Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Jon Bernthal, and Charlize Theron. We also know the movie will arrive in theaters on July 17 2026.

That gives us plenty of time to start guessing which legendary characters from Homer’s epic everyone is going to play. (Theron as Circe, Calypso, Penelope, or Athena? She’s perfect for literally all of them.) It also gives us time to wonder just how good this movie will be. No one delivers epics live Christopher Nolan. What’s he going to be capable of when he makes one of the most famous epics ever?

Originally published January 2, 2025.

The post Christopher Nolan’s THE ODYSSEY Reveals Even More New Cast appeared first on Nerdist.

Did you voluntarily sign up to have your brain damaged by an evil corporation? If you said yes, chances are, Dr. Ricken Lazlo Hale is your favorite author. And not just because he’s only the second writer you ever got to read after Kier Eagan. But you don’t need to be a severed employee or Rebeck to enjoy his work. Everyone can now discover the truth about themself without undergoing a controversial medical procedure. Severance has released the first eight chapters of Dr. Ricken’s in-show book, The You You Are, for fans to both read and listen to for free.

Michael Chernus’s Ricken Hale is a national treasure not in spite of being a hack author but because of it. His insights into life and humanity are actually pretty good. It’s just that he’s not exactly Shakespeare when it comes to expressing his ideas. That’s why he’s such a funny and lovable character on Severance. He and his books are also much more important than they would otherwise seem in Severance‘s world. His fifth book, The You You Are: A Spiritual Biography of You, made its way to Lumon’s severed floor during Severance season one, where it helped inspire the Macrodat Uprising.

Now, we can learn why so many find his work so powerful ourselves. (Or we can at least enjoy some of the funniest intentionally bad writing ever.) Apple TV+ has released eight chapters from Severance’s fictional book, both as a free ebook and in audiobook form. And you better believe Dr. Ricken did his own narration. That way, you can imagine you’re in attendance at one of his live readings. What will that be like? Apple Books calls it a “journey of self-learnedness.”

Our only complaint is that Severance only released eight chapters (39 pages) and not the whole book. We need more Dr. Ricken in our lives, not less. That’s the only way we’ll discover the we we are supposed to be. Or something.

We’re not totally clear what we’re supposed to take away from his lessons just yet. We just know his writing makes a huge impression on the kind of people who hate themselves so much they don’t want to exist for eight hours a day.

The post You Can Now Read Ricken’s Book From SEVERANCE, ‘The You You Are’ appeared first on Nerdist.

If you’re in NYC, Atlanta, or Nashville, you can celebrate Valentine’s Day this weekend with a beautiful botanical celebration courtesy of LEGO. LEGO Botanicals Trucks are bringing the finest of LEGO Botanicals blooms to these three beautiful cities and creating gardens worth visiting. At each location, you’ll be able to frolic with the LEGO flowers and make one of your own to take home, free! It’s the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

LEGO’s Valentine’s Day Botanicals Pop-Up Mixed Real and LEGO Flowers in Gardens

We at Nerdist were lucky enough to visit the NYC LEGO Botanicals Valentine’s Day pop-up, and we had an absolutely darling time. At the NYC location, the LEGO pop-up divided up into three gardens, each showcasing some of LEGO’s finest Botanicals builds. These LEGO florals carefully intermixed with real flowers, and we couldn’t even tell where LEGO ended and where nature began. A truly gorgeous experience. The LEGO pop-up created the Garden of Connection, the Garden of Serenity, and the Garden of Resilience and accentuated each of the themes with the appropriate blooms. (Resilience = LEGO succulents, etc.)

Additionally, we visited the LEGO Botanicals Truck and saw the museum of LEGO flowers. Learning the history of the LEGO Botanicals sets was a real treat. And there was some gorgeous artwork of each LEGO flower and plant to boot.

LEGO Let Visitors Build Their Own LEGO Daffodil, Free!

At each stop, visitors collected a LEGO daffodil petal, and then they headed to the Build and Bloom station, where they put together the pieces of their collected daffodil kit. The station included very simple directions and plenty of pieces for guests to make their free LEGO daffodil, a beautiful flower that will never fade or die. Both skilled and first-time LEGO builders could put this elegant LEGO flower together, and it’s one of the best free gifts we’ve seen in a while.

We also felt delighted to drink some LEGO-themed hot beverages, including cappuccinos, hot chocolate, and hibiscus tea! A sweet addition to the floral fun and a great Valentine’s Day treat from LEGO.

Where Can You Find the LEGO Botanicals Truck Pop-Ups for Valentine’s Day Events and Beyond

Click To View Gallery

Below are the locations where the LEGO Botanicals pop-up truck will be stopping this weekend. It will visit from Friday, January 31st to Sunday, February 2nd from 9am-5pm daily.

New York, US | Madison Square Park

Atlanta, US | Piedmont Park

Nashville, US | Broadway

After these Valentine’s Day stops, the LEGO Botanicals pop-up truck will be making its way abroad! But you never know when it could be back for more LEGO flower fun.

The post Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Free LEGO Flower From LEGO Botanicals Flower Trucks Pop-Up appeared first on Nerdist.

Most people are a bit tired of sequels and remakes, claiming they find them to be played out or unnecessary. Being fully transparent, it’s hard to ignore the fact that some actually turn out to be bangers, even going as far as being better than the first installment (Top Gun: Maverick definitely lands on that list!). Oftentimes, remakes expose a younger audience to older films and give them a glimpse of some stories that their parents grew up watching.

Some examples would be the Creed trilogy and the 21 Jump Street installments as they add current popular actors into pre-existing arcs. With that being said, The Running Man is next to get the revamp treatment and who better to nab the main role other than Hollywood’s new leading man, Glen Powell. He is no stranger to remakes or sequels as this would mark his third after he appeared in last year’s Twisters and the previously mentioned Top Gun: Maverick, both of which went on to be massive box office successes. Let’s take a look at what we know about The Running Man and what has still yet to be revealed.

Who is Attached?

A solid indication that this adaptation will be a hit is the fact that Powell does not miss. He is extremely charming and likeable much like Matthew McConaughey in his prime and, ironically, they both share the same home state (guess everything really is better in Texas). The talent doesn’t stop there as Baby Driver director Edgar Wright is set to direct the Stephen King book-turned-film that Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in back in 1987.

Little was known at the time when the film got its first major announcement when they revealed Powell as Ben Richards at last year’s CinemaCon in Las Vegas, but more roles have been cast since then. Coleman Domingo has been heating up lately (highly praised for his recent film, Sing, Sing) and has signed on as the game show host that was previously played by Richard Dawson. News broke back in October that Josh Brolin is set to star as the antagonist, Dan Killian, joining Michael Cera who previously worked with Wright on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Fresh off of wrapping the wildly successful first season of The Penguin, Jayme Lawson will play Richard’s wife, Sheila. One might call her fairly booked and busy, as she will also star in Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s highly anticipated vampire thriller, Sinners, in April. Other notable names attached include Daniel Ezra (All American) , Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy), Karl Glusman (The Bikeriders), and seasoned vet William H. Macy in an unknown role.

What Can We Expect?

Okay, so we know the premise must pull heavily from the book and previous dystopian-sci-fi adaptation. If this is the case, then we can expect Richards to participate in a game show where the premise is to dodge hitmen sent to kill you to win a billion dollars. He is desperate for the funds as he needs it to help cover treatment for his daughter’s illness. to This has a very Squid Game tone to it and, given the massive success of that series, this seems like something audiences very well might just eat up. So we can imagine how this can all play out, but where’s the trailer? We do know that filming has already begun, with Powell being spotted back in November in London. He also told IndieWire about how he plans to pull double duty as he wants to finish his degree in his hometown at the University of Texas while filming. “I’m basically going to be coming back because I have to finish up, but I’m going to be shooting The Running Man in the fall. So I’m going to be in London…”. 

How Close are we to a Trailer?

The release date is locked in for November 7th, but was initially set for November 21st. In a smart move, the studio changed the date to avoid competing with Wicked: For Good. Many feel Gladiator 2 should have done the same as it fell in the shadow of the first Wicked release during their Barbenheimer face-off. We’re about 10 months out from The Running Man release and we haven’t gotten a teaser nor a trailer. The perfect spot for a glimpse would be during the Super Bowl on February 9th, but given the lack of buzz from rumors, it’s unlikely this will happen, unless it’s been kept super under wraps.

Nonetheless, CinemaCon is coming around the corner again March 31st to April 3rd so it’s highly likely that Paramount will drop the full trailer and get audiences excited by relying on the attending press to spread the word. Regardless of when we get our first peek, I think we are in good hands with this team of cast and director. It’s safe to say The Running Man will top a lot of most anticipated films of 2025.

The post Everything We Know (and Don’t Know) About ‘The Running Man’ Remake appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.