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For those worried that the cliffhanger at the end of Alien: Earth would never find resolution, you can breathe easy. Via Variety, we’ve learned that FX has renewed Noah Hawley’s series for a second season. Hawley has also signed an overall deal with the network. Season two is set to shoot in London sometime in 2026. Hawley shot the first season mostly in Thailand. Noah Hawley has quite a history with FX, as he created Fargo for them, as well as the X-Men spin-off Legion.

With the series moving to London, we can’t help but wonder if that means we are leaving the Neverland Facility behind in season two. The first season ended with the synth hybrid Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and her fellow “Lost Boys” taking over the research facility, and planning to “rule.” And with a “pet” Xenomorph at their beck and call, they have the power to. We have no idea what the hybrids ruling really means, because Ridley Scott’s original Alien takes place a mere two years from Alien: Earth. There’s no indication that hybrid synthetics are running the planet. We’ll just have to wait and find out.

So how long will Alien: Earth last? In the past, Hawley has said he has a plan for the show that could go up to five seasons. But more than three seasons would be a shock. Most expensive streaming shows these days have a hard out at around season three. Very few go further than that. As long as Hawley can finish the story he set out to tell, we’re ok with however long it takes. Hopefully that would mean Disney extends the same courtesy to Hawley they gave to Tony Gilroy with Andor. FX announced no actual release date for Alien: Earth season two, but don’t expect it before 2027 at the earliest.

The post ALIEN: EARTH Renewed for Season 2 on FX appeared first on Nerdist.

Fortnite has leaned into The Simpsons hardcore, and one iconic character is ready to enter the fray. With the current season of the game just destroying Springfield, you can now look forward to Spider-Pig soon! Data-miners in Fortnite figured out that The Simpsons Movie character was getting added as an in-game sidekick very soon. But, then a small clip of Homer Simpson running away from a giant donut hit social media. In a totally normal reaction for the Internet, some eagle-eyed observers noticed that Spider-Pig was mosey-ing along.

Of course, people were psyched to see the most memorable part of The Simpsons Movie get another chance to shine. But, Fortnite fans have really been eating good with this crossover. The beloved TV family has found its way into literal Fortnite lore, which is pretty hard to believe. The Simpsons has been around so long that it’s an in universe running joke that they already covered any scenario under the sun. What’s adding the most popular video game on the planet to the list?  

When Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited adaptation of Frankenstein finally hit screens in late 2025, the reaction across social media was nothing short of electrifying and divisive. What was once hailed as the director’s ultimate passion project quickly became a cultural flashpoint, dividing audiences over questions of artistic vision, fidelity to the source material, and the blurred lines between horror and humanity.

Del Toro, known for his love of monsters and melancholy beauty, has spent years dreaming of this film. Featuring a powerhouse cast that includes Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Mia Goth, Frankenstein was expected to be a definitive statement from the Oscar-winning filmmaker a fusion of gothic horror, tragedy, and compassion. But when it premiered in select theaters before hitting Netflix, viewers were split right down the middle: was it a masterpiece of emotional storytelling or a misfire weighed down by its own ambition?

Many fans and critics have championed Frankenstein as one of del Toro’s most deeply felt works. The film’s lush production design, haunting score, and emotional storytelling echo the director’s signature style think The Shape of Water with more existential dread. Early reactions praised its visual poetry and heartbreaking performances. Others lauded del Toro for creating a film that speaks to the loneliness of being misunderstood, positioning the Creature not as a monster, but as a mirror reflecting our own need for connection.

Del Toro himself described the film as “an incredibly emotional movie,” distancing it from the jump scares and gore often associated with the Frankenstein name. For his devoted followers, this approach represents the culmination of everything he’s explored throughout his career a love letter to outsiders, dreamers, and those who find beauty in the grotesque.

But the same qualities that some find transcendent have left others cold. Critics online have called Frankenstein “lethargic,” “bloated,” and “too self-serious.” For audiences expecting a horror spectacle, the film’s restrained tone and introspective pacing came as a disappointment.

Others have criticized the film’s deviations from Mary Shelley’s original text. Longtime fans of the novel argue that del Toro’s adaptation sacrifices key philosophical and scientific themes in favor of personal sentiment. The director’s choice to focus on fatherhood and emotional reconciliation rather than moral responsibility has been a particular sticking point for purists.

Even the film’s rollout stirred debate. With a limited theatrical release before landing on Netflix, many fans felt robbed of the chance to experience del Toro’s grand vision on the big screen.

The polarized reaction to Frankenstein speaks to something larger than one film. It highlights the tension between artistic freedom and fan expectation, particularly when a beloved director takes on a sacred text. Del Toro’s name carries weight; audiences expect certain textures like fairy-tale horror, ornate craftsmanship, and poetic melancholy. When those expectations aren’t met, the backlash can be swift and loud.

It also underscores the changing nature of fandom in the age of social media. Once confined to critics and film journals, discourse now unfolds in real time across platforms, where praise and condemnation coexist in a digital tug-of-war. Some threads dissect del Toro’s reinterpretation with academic precision; others dismiss it in a single meme. What’s clear is that Frankenstein has ignited conversation, something few films manage to do in an oversaturated streaming landscape.

Whether you found it profound or pretentious, del Toro’s Frankenstein demands engagement. It asks us to reconsider what we want from our monsters and from the filmmakers who dare to resurrect them. For some, it’s a masterpiece of mood and meaning; for others, a gorgeous misstep that strays too far from Shelley’s spirit. But perhaps that very division is fitting. Like its titular creation, Frankenstein is stitched together from passion, imperfection, and a yearning to be understood.

Love it or loathe it, Guillermo del Toro’s latest reminds us that the best art doesn’t always unite us, it actually challenges us. And in a world where online opinion often decides a film’s fate overnight, that may be its most radical act of all.

Frankenstein is currently streaming on Netflix.

The post Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ Has Created Quite a Stir Amongst Fans appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

The power of friendship is a foundational aspect of many coming-of-age stories across all genres. This is especially true in horror situations where people’s lives are literally on the line. Coming together as a force against a seemingly unstoppable evil and pushing forward with love and hugs is both entertaining and heartwarming.

IT: Welcome to Derry certainly uses friendship to drive its narrative with a group of 1960s era social outcasts who want to discover what evil is harming kids in their town. Arian S. Cartaya portrays Rich, a band kid with a VERY interesting family who latches onto new kid Will Hanlon. Little does he know that his new homeboy will get him into a dangerous mystery that threatens their safety. Cartaya spoke with Nerdist about Rich’s desire for friendship and his filming experience. 

Interestingly, Cartaya knew very little about Pennywise and the IT universe before he nabbed the part as Rich, a kid whom he says is very similar to himself. Rich’s friendship with Will Hanlon, played by Blake Cameron James, feels like a full circle moment considering the actors worked together prior to this series.

“It’s funny because before anything about Welcome to Derry happened, we actually did an AT&T commercial in Georgia and we definitely had a good connection there,” Cartaya told us. “And when we saw each other in Canada, we were like, ‘Oh my God, it’s you! Long time no see.’ So we already had some kind of connection there, and we just like to go have lunch, have dinner. I’m very much a hugger. So my goal at the start to the end of filming was to make Blake a hugger, and I think I accomplished that goal.” 

How adorable. Cartaya may have turned Blake into someone who loves a warm embrace, but one person he didn’t want to hug on set was Bill Skarsgård. The actor, who portrays Pennywise the Clown, was terrifying to meet in person. “It’s surreal,” Cartaya said. “He’s super intimidating. First, there’s his height. He’s super tall. He’s six foot five! So just based on that, he’s terrifying. But also before the scenes he would twitch and giggle and do all that stuff. And also his lazy eye is terrifying.” 

Between the scenes scares aside, filming Welcome to Derry was quite the challenging experience for the rising actor. Outside of juggling his normal life as a student, Cartaya noted that the show’s co-creator Andy Muschietti’s very specific vision of how the show should look and progress meant that he expected perfection. This especially threw him off during his first day of filming. 

“He’s such a great guy, but he’s such a perfectionist,” the actor noted. “He wants everything how he imagines it, so with me not being used to that, that day was a little rough emotionally. And Barbara [Muschietti], Andy’s sister, came up to my mom and told her that everything is fine. Andy just wants everything perfect.”

Cartaya’s mom stuck close by during his filming experience, which he said helped him find grounding. Now, Welcome to Derry is out in the world and he is excited about fans’ reactions to a season that he describes in the following three words: emotional, terrifying, and (of course) friendship. 

IT: Welcome to Derry is currently streaming on HBO Max.

The post WELCOME TO DERRY Star Arian S. Cartaya on Playing Rich, Friendship, and More appeared first on Nerdist.