Batman Forever, Willow and Heat helped turn Val Kilmer into a beloved film presence and one of the leading men of his generation.

By Matt Novak Published April 1, 2025 | Comments (3) | US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz joins US Vice President JD Vance for a visit to the US military's Pituffik Space Base on March 28, 2025 in Pituffik, Greenland. Photo by Jim Watson - Pool / Getty Images Top national security officials at the White House, including national security advisor Michael Waltz, have sometimes been using regular Gmail accounts to discuss highly sensitive military operations, according to a new report from the Washington Post. Gmail is not end-to-end encrypted like more secure government systems available to officials like Waltz and can be intercepted by foreign adversaries. The Gmail accounts were used to discuss sensitive military positions and powerful weapons systems relating to an ongoing conflict, according to the Post, citing three unnamed government officials and emails reviewed firsthand by the newspaper. Personal email accounts of any kind are not considered a secure way to communicate sensitive information, though National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes told the Post that no classified information was transmitted over insecure channels. The report comes after Waltz and roughly two dozen officials were outed as using Signal to discuss attack plans in Yemen after mistakenly adding the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Waltzs Yemen group chat wasnt the only Signal chat where sensitive plans were being discussed. Waltz is rumored to be losing support from President Donald Trump over the scandal, but Trump has also demonstrated a lack of understanding in his public comments. During one recent White House press conference, a reporter asked Trump if Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths job was in danger. Trump wondered why anyone would ask about Hegseth since he had nothing to do with the snafu. But Hegseth wasnt just involved, he was the one who appeared to share the most sensitive information in the Signal group chat texts that were made public by the Atlantic, including the types of planes that were being deployed and when. The New York Times reports that Vice President JD Vance and Trumps chief of staff Susie Wiles met with President Trump last Wednesday to discuss whether Waltz should lose his job, but ultimately decided to keep him on. Its not clear whether this latest article from the Post about Waltzs use of Gmail will cause Trump to reconsider, but that seems dependent upon whether the story breaks through at Fox News. The president is infamous for watching a lot of TV and will often tweet his thoughts on TV news coverage on his social media platform Truth Social. The amount of TV coverage a given topic gets often determines whether Trump will act. Trump seemed reluctant to pull the nomination of Matt Gaetz for Attorney General until Fox News wouldnt stop harping on the story.The use of insecure email accounts by top Trump officials is ironic, of course, given the fact that Trump made information security such a central part of his 2016 presidential campaign. His opponent, Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton, used a private server for some of her work as Secretary of State, something that Trump often said she should get tossed in jail for. Waltz himself has criticized Democrats for not being careful with classified material. Bidens sitting National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan sent Top Secret messages to Hillary Clintons private account, Waltz tweeted in June 2023. And what did DOJ do about it? Not a damn thing. It seems unlikely that Waltz is going to advocate for charges to be brought against himself.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Lucas Ropek Published March 31, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 31, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 31, 2025 AJ Dellinger and Matt Novak Published March 29, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 27, 2025

This week at CinemaCon movie studios are putting on a show for movie theater representatives and invited media. And at tonights Warner Bros. presentation, James Gunn and DC Studios closed things out with a look at this summers Superman. James Gunn referred to this summer as the summer ofSuperman but after the extended footage he showed at CinemaCon, it might be the summer of Krypto. Supermans dog played a big role in the films first trailer but in this footage we saw much, much more. The footage basically had the same structure as the trailer, but just added more context. For example, we saw Superman beaten in the snow in the trailer and calling for Krypto to take him home. What we didnt see is when he arrives, he jumps on top of Superman. He bites him. He grabs his leg and moves it. All while Superman tries to get him to stop. Its cuteand finally, he does stop, grabbing onto Supermans cape and dragging him home. Home is the Fortress of Solitude which appears to be very close to where Superman fell. It gloriously arises from the snow, complete with diamond-shaped door. Krypto whistles, the S glows, and it opens. Inside, four robots all converge on Superman. Each has a number on them and zero sense of humor. No need to thank us, Superman, one says. We are automotons and have no emotions. Or something like that. One of the robots, number 12, is new and when Superman is told that he smiles at her. He looked at me, she said. They assess his injuries, which are extensive. Nothing a little sun cant fix. So the entire Fortress turns toward the sun as Superman is put on a table and directed toward the sun. Large pieces of glass come together to form a magnifying glass that blasts him with light. He screams, but is better.From there, the footage was largely just the trailer with a few new additions. For example, we see Clark and Lois in her apartment doing an interviewonly, shes calling him Superman. He, apparently, has been under fire lately. The trailer then ends back in the Fortress as he begins to head back out. There are robots everywhere but Krypto keeps snapping at him as he walks out. It annoys Superman but, when Krypto whimpers as he leaves, he smiles and flies away. Additional reporting by Sabina Graves. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Two men from Illinois have filed a class-action lawsuit against global smut peddler OnlyFans, after having come to the ego-rupturing realization that the messages they were receiving as a result of their subscriptions may have not actually come from their favorite sex workers. 404 Media originally reported on the litigation, which was filed on behalf of its two plaintiffs, M. Brunner and J. Fry. The lawsuit takes aim at Fenix Internet, LLC and Fenix International Limited, the platforms parent companies, and accuses them of furthering a vast deception against the sites users. Plaintiffs claim that Defendants unlawfully and improperly deceived and defrauded its Fans by allowing third parties to send communications on behalf of Creators in violation of OnlyFans TOS, the suit reads. It also states: Despite the fact that OnlyFans success is built on a promise of direct connections and authentic relationships, OnlyFans knowingly facilitates schemes in which Fans are duped into paying to have personal interactions with Creators that are not authentic at all. These schemes involve the deceptive outsourcing of the job of interacting with Fans, as well as other functions, to third-party management agencies. Gizmodo reached out to OnlyFans for comment. It is a well known fact that many OnlyFans models do not actually talk to their subscribers. Prominent media outlets have covered this phenomenon for years, and I have always assumed that most OF subscribers know this about the business. As Brunner openly admits in the litigation, he subscribed to a model who had hundreds of thousands of followers. Just on the basis of pure common sense, what are the chances that a lady like that has the time, resources, or, more importantly, the will to answer all of her fans messages directly? OnlyFans is also upfront about the potential involvement of third-party firms in customer exchanges. Indeed, the platforms contract between creators and fans states: The Fan acknowledges that third parties may assist Creators in operating their accounts and in Creator Interactions. The implication here seems obvious, but Brunner and Frys lawsuit claims that this contract obfuscates the role that third parties may play in assisting Creators with their content, as the Fan-Creator Contract is nested within the TOS, requires an additional action on behalf of a Fan to view, and is only referenced within the Terms of Use by hyperlink requiring a Fan to visit that page separately to understand its import to the Terms of Use. Roughly translated, the lawsuit appears to be saying that the fact that the contract is on a different webpage than the TOS and, thus, requires the user to click from one page to another, is unreasonable. Yes, how can you be expected to thoroughly read and understand a companys terms of service when youre so hungry for the authentic connections you can have with the starlets advertised on its website? Its a good question, but arguably not really the companys problem.

Season of the Force has begun at the Disneyland Resort and Star Wars fans are in for some fantastical foodie fun. io9 recently attended the media experiences on opening day. We also ran around the park for our own little food crawl that took us from Docking Bay 7 and Ronto Roasters in Galaxys Edge to Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland, trying out the park-wide meal and treat offerings that are new for this years seasonal event, which celebrates all things tasty and cool-looking inspired by a galaxy far, far away. (Some food covered here was provided to io9 by Disney during a press event. The rest we paid for ourselves.) Galaxys Edge We started with a quick behind-the-scenes look at the Coaxium Sipper and the Tauntaun popcorn bucket in a secret base location (backstage) at the Black Spire Outpost. A Disney Experiences representative demonstrated the locking and popping mechanism of the light-up smugglers container of choice, which we thought was a clever way to reference the tanks seen on the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction. The Tauntaun was the best part and we think it will be a major draw for fans this year. We loved seeing the creature that Han Solo improvises into a sleeping bag for Luke as a way to hold popcorn, or an Empire Strikes Back-era action figure. We also got to preview returning food faves for Star Wars Nite, which will see the Yoda-shaped Dagobah-Bite Beignets and Princess Leia-inspired Galactic Princess Sundae make their way back for the separately ticketed Disneyland After Dark event. Once we got back into Galaxys Edge we began our food crawl, starting with the Fried Chicken Baos from Docking Bay 7. These are definitely some hold-you-over tasty bites before a bigger meal. Its tangy and spice combo is more pleasant than intense. Theming-wise, getting rid of the Star Wars canon name for chicken (tip yip) is a bit sad, but apparently immersion with food names was too adventurous for the average park goer. And while the snack buns are delicious, they dont particularly look like something from Star Wars. But honestly, that might not be such a bad thing; Id rather have the effort go into creating the tastiest bao bun, rather than one crafted using too much food dye. Docking Bay 7 is also where youll be able to purchase drinks that come in detailed containers to satisfy Star Wars aesthetic collectors.The new food item that really impressed us was the Fried Falumpaset Cheese Skewer, which comes covered in potato pieces with more cheese to dip it in. It was easy to walk around with; you can eat this in the queue for Rise of the Resistance. Its cheese, its balanced, its the chosen one. We wish Disney would keep this on the menu and sell that cheese sauce alone too, because I definitely put some of it on my baos and it made me feel as if I was in Cloud City. I would buy this over and over again because its lighter on the stomach than the year-round staple Ronto Wrap and less messy too. Tomorrowland Over in Tomorrowland by Hyperspace Mountain, you can find more options. This space has often had maybe the most questionable of ideas go through it in the past like that Dark Side burger with a black bun. This year, the burger tries something new: a gyro meat-inspired offering that highlighted the patty as beef and veggie mixed. If the food in Galaxys Edge was Bespin quality, the food at Galactic Grill was Port Borgo pirate bay slop, because that patty tasted unlike anything I could name. If youd told me it was Tauntaun meat, Id believe you and the toppings spilled out too easily too even with an oversized bun.The other option we tried were the Loaded Outpost Fries, which didnt quite bring Star Wars to mind either. It was a basket of fries and onion rings with a pile of pulled pork on top sprinkled with cheese and other toppings. Its decent and shareable, but it also could have been added to a menu for literally any IP. The winner for us at Galactic Grill is decidedly silly, because this spot has slush drinks with mini lightsaber stirrers that light up. I promptly gave it to my child and was delighted to see her with her own blue lightsaber. (I was glad it wasnt real when she stuck it in her mouth, though.) I did feel the absence of the Darth By Chocolate parfait cake, though, which had grown to be a favorite staple of the season over the years. Take a look below to see the hits and misses of our Star Wars food crawl. Coaxium Sipper io9/Gizmodo Coaxium Sipper io9/Gizmodo Tauntaun Bucket io9/Gizmodo io9/Gizmodo io9/Gizmodo io9/Gizmodo Fried Chicken Baos io9/Gizmodo Fried Falumpaset Cheese Skewer io9/Gizmodo Loaded Outpost Fries io9/Gizmodo Galactic Gyro Burger io9/Gizmodo Check out this foodie fare and more out at Disneylands Season of the Force, now through May 11. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

When the original Now You See Me became a big enough hit that a sequel was announced, everyone thought the same thing: They should call it Now You See Me, Now You Dont. Unfortunately, that didnt happen. But the 2016 sequel Now You See Me 2 was a big enough hit that a third installment was greenlitand now, finally, that title is becoming reality. Tuesday at CinemaCon 2025, Lionsgate announced that the third Now You See Me, out November 14, is officially called Now You See Me, Now You Dont. We did it! Plus, the company is so high on the sequel, it also announced a fourth film in the series is now in the works. Ruben Fleischer, director of Zombieland, Uncharted, and Venom, made the third film and will be back for its sequel. DirectingNow You See Me: Now You Dontwas as much fun as making any movie in my career, the director said in a press release. It combines two of my favorite thingsheist movies and magicand working with this incredible cast was truly magical. Of course I want to keep it going. In addition to the news, the audience at CinemaCon was shown an extended trailer from the new film that revealed more about its plot, returning characters, and more. Heres what happened. It starts with Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) doing a magic performance with his fellow Horseman (played by Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, and Woody Harrelson). He gets a volunteer from the audience and says theyre each going to disappear him. One by one, each Horseman basically teleports into the body of the volunteer (played by Holdovers star Dominic Sessa), who then becomes all four of them in one, with a spot-on Eisenberg impression.Turns out, the volunteer wasnt a volunteer, but a magician himself; later, he commends himself on his performance to his two fellow magician friends, played by Justice Smith and Ariana Greenblatt. One person disagrees, though: the actual Daniel Atlas. He says a Tarot card reading brought him to this group and he needs their help. They ask why he cant ask the other Horseman and he says theyre dead. No, actually dead to him. Theyve had a falling out. Atlas needs this new generation to help him steal a massive heart-shaped diamond from a crime syndicate led by Rosamund Pike. Pikes character appears to be legitimate but is, in fact, not. So we see Atlas and the crew pull off a trick where he steals the diamond during a museum event which sends everything into chaos. In the action, the original Horsemen pop up out of nowhere and say theyre there to save him.From there, everyone goes to a large mansion where Morgan Freemans character is, and together all eight people begin to hatch a plan. Eight magicians against a worldwide criminal network? I like our odds, says Greenblatt. As a fan of this burgeoning franchise, it looked like Now You See Me, Now You Dont could deliver all the twists and turns we expect from the franchise. And, now we know, well be seeing more too. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Kyle Barr Published April 1, 2025 | Comments (1) | Meta CEO Mark Zukberberg has said he thinks the company can sell millions of its various smart glasses products. Meta Metas next step on its quest to reign over the burgeoning market for AR glasses may demand a hefty chunk of your wallet. The Mark Zuckerberg-led company is reportedly planning for new glasses, codenamed Hypernova, that could cost well over $1,000 for the sake of a tiny heads-up-display built into one lens. Yes, thats expensive, but Metas real struggle will be making sure it runs on software that doesnt make us want to throw its expensive glasses off a cliff. The rumored Hypernova augmented reality glasses should arrive sometime this year, according to a Tuesday report from Bloombergs Mark Gurman based on anonymous sources. The first iteration of Metas glasses with screens will include a minuscule monocular panel in the right-hand lens. This could offer users notifications from their phone or access to photos, or even check out directions from an app like Google Maps. For that privilege, prospective owners will need to cough up at least $1,000, according to Gurman. Some versions may cost upwards of $1,300 or $1,400. Meta could debut those glasses this year, likely at its annual Meta Connect conference. This model may also see a larger sensor that should shoot higher-quality photos than the 12 MP camera sensor on the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Otherwise, the Hypernova will mirror the design of Metas past work. Current Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses start at $300, though versions with transition lenses cost closer to $380. These glasses use physical button controls to access the built-in camera for photos or videos. The glasses best feature is the on-board speakers, which users can control by sliding their finger along a capacitive sensor on the right ear piece. Gurman mentioned the Hypernova glasses physical controls may work the same way as the Ray-Bans. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses do the job if all you want to do is snap quick pics of your dog or listen to your tunes without headphones. The main issue for any future Meta wearable will be software. Bloomberg noted Hypernova will boot onto its own home screen where users will have access to an app drawer of horizontal icons. There could be a dedicated apps for pictures, camera, and maps.Gurman said the glasses will continue rely heavily on the Meta View app. You use that app with the Ray-Bans for moving photos from your glasses to your phone. Its not a particularly easy app to use, and the many mentions of the new glasses containing the ability to deliver notifications, presumably from your phone, have me a little nervous. Software has always been Metas Achilles heel. Its a web-based company in a world where the phone makers decide who can do what. The Meta View app is severely limited by the operating systems it operates on, and Mark Zuckerberg hasnt been shy complaining about how the Ray-Ban Meta and other third party hardware works with iOS. If these new glasses are stuck in a similar ecosystem then it will be hard for them to not end up like the the many smartglasses that have come before.Recent leaks from inside Meta suggest the company has plans to launch multiple types of smart glasses this year. (One of those could be a pair of Oakley-branded visors made for athletes.) But this strategy will continue to struggle when the glasses are being used as an interface for a phone made by another company. Unless Zuckerberg and company know something we dont, these new glasses might lead to more frustration than wonder.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published April 1, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 31, 2025 By Alex Cranz Published March 24, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 21, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 19, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 13, 2025

After a blockbuster March, Lego is once again having a bit of a quiet season coming into April but a small number of releases doesnt make them any less major, as almost everything dropping this month is a huge set. Or, well, huge from your perspective, if you happen to be a halfling eager for the nextLord of the Rings release.Yes, there may not be that many sets this month (Star Wars is smartly taking the month off to prepare for its usual extravaganza in May), but most of what is coming is pretty sizable. That includes the highlight set of the month, the third entry in the revived Lord of the Rings Icons series, whisking us away to the idyllic Shire to celebrate Bilbos 111th birthday. Check out whats coming from Lego this month below!Lego Icons Beauty and the Beast Castle LegoThe latest Disney release takes us back toBeauty and the Beast with this lavish 2,916-piece castle. The set also comes with a line up of five minifigures (Gaston, LeFou, Belle, Beast, and Belles father Maurice), as well as five brick-built characters (Cogsworth, Chip and Mrs. Potts, Lumire, and Fifi)and, of course, the enchanted rose at the heart of the story. ($280, available here from 4/1 for Lego Insiders, 4/4 wide release)See Beauty and the Beast Castle at LEGOLego Ideas River Steamboat LegoThe next set recreation from the community-submitted ideas line is a massive old-timey paddle steamer. Clocking in at overfour thousand pieces, the River Steamboat includes a fully functioning wheelhouse controlled by its own steering wheel, and three decks to build and explore: a boiler room with a small museum display, the main deck with a lavish dining lounge, and a small cabin for the crew. ($330, available here from 4/7 for Lego Insiders, 4/10 wide release)See River Steamboat at LEGOLego IconsLord of the Rings Shire LegoAfter wowing us with the beautiful safe havens of Rivendell and the ominous spires of Barad-Dr,Lego is opting for the quiet life with the third entry in its annual collector-focused Lord of the Rings series. Taking us to the opening act ofFellowship of the Ring, the 2,017-piece set recreates Bilbo and Frodos home in the hobbit hole of Bag End, as well as a few extra elements of the Shire to depict Bilbos 111th birthday bash at the Party Tree. As well as Bilbo and Frodo of course, the set comes with seven more minifigures inspired by those scenes: Gandalf the Grey, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Rosie Cotton, and Farmer Proudfoot and his wife. ($270, available here from 4/2 for Lego Insiders, 4/5 wide release)See The Lord of the Rings: The Shire at LEGOLego Marvel Iron Mans Laboratory: Hall of Armor LegoLegos done plenty of Hall of Armor sets before, but this latest takes you toIron Man 3 with a condensed take on Tonys Lab. As well as three armor pods to house any Iron Man minifigures you may already have, the set includes the Mk 43 and Mk 6 versions of Tonys armor, and the Iron Patriot suit, that you can slot in too. As well as them, the set has Pepper Potts and Aldrich Killian minifigures, and buildable versions of the Dum-E robot and the Igor Mk3 mech. ($55, available here)See Iron Mans Laboratory: Hall of Armor at LEGOLego Yellow Travel Suitcase LegoNeed to pick up a reminder of a recent vacation? More specifically, the thing you used to take stuff to and from that vacation? Well, Lego has you covered with this cute little model of a suitably Lego-yellow suitcase, which includes buildable accessories you can put inside, including a camera, boarding pass, toothbrush, and passport. At least this suitcase would nicely fit into your carry-on baggage! ($15, available here)See Yellow Travel Suitcase at LEGOWant more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Thomas Maxwell Published April 1, 2025 | Comments (0) | A judge has shut down Arkansas' Social Media Safety Act, which would require some social networks to verify the ages of users and require minors have parental permission. Will Newton/AP A judge in Arkansas has shut down the states law requiring some social networks to verify the ages of those in the state to create an account and ensure that minors have parental permission. Judge Timothy L. Brooks ruled the law, dubbed the Social Media Safety Act, was too broad as to violate the First Amendment rights of internet users and was so vague it was unclear which social networks the law would cover. Arkansas takes a hatchet to adults and minors protected speech alike though the Constitution demands it use a scalpel, the US District Court for the Western District of Arkansas wrote in an opinion issued Monday. Lawmakers across the United States and abroad have sought to protect minors against the potential long-term harms posed by social media, and smartphone access writ large. Utah recently passed a law that requires app stores from Apple and Google to verify the ages of users before they can download apps and requires minors to have accounts connected to their parents. Meta was in favor of this law because it put the onus on other companies to verify users; it was opposed to Arkansas law. States and school districts across the country have also been implementing laws that prohibit students from accessing their phones during the school day to eliminate distractions and potentially combat bullying. While social media has been linked to increased mental health risks in adolescents, many teens have reported benefits to using the services, such as finding like-minded communities where they feel belonging. Moreover, critics of age-verification laws say while there are risks to minors using social media, these types of laws infringe on everyones right to privacyin states like Florida and Texas, where laws have passed requiring porn sites to verify the ages of users, major services including PornHub have chosen to shut down rather than make users hand over personally identifiable information. In an age when the White House is willing to retaliate against individuals over their free expression, the risks of requiring users to verify their identities are clear. Rather than targeting content that is harmful to minors, Act 689 [the Social Media Safety Act] simply impedes access to content writ large, Brooks said. There are effectively no federal privacy laws concerning internet platforms, with the recent collapse of 23andMe highlighting the problem. It was recently announced that as part of the DNA testing companys bankruptcy, genetic data from customers could be sold off, potentially to be used against individuals.Judge Brooks also noted the law was too vague, pointing out that the states attorney general believed Snapchat was exempt from the requirements, while the laws co-sponsor thought it was covered. I respect the courts decision, and we are evaluating our options, Attorney General Tim Griffin said in a statement. Social media companies have continued to implement tools to combat bullying, such as by allowing users to restrict others access to their content. During the Biden administration, the U.S. Surgeon General recommended social networks should display warning labels highlighting the potential harms for adolescents, and potentially redesign their apps to address problems like insecurity that can be caused by beauty filters and other tools.Some who believe social media is harmful to adolescents argue that laws like age verification and smartphone bans during the school day are not addressing the actual problem. Teenagers will get around age checks, and if they cannot use their phone during the school day, they will just use it more after class. These laws do not address the root cause, they argue, which is the inherent design of social media apps.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By AJ Dellinger Published March 31, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 31, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 31, 2025 By Florence Ion Published March 28, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 28, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 25, 2025

Heres some exciting news for John Wick fans out of CinemaCon 2025: the long-teased John Wick: Chapter 5 is officially a go. A concept has been locked in and development is underway with series star Keanu Reeves. And heres more exciting news for John Wick fans to go with that: the franchise is also getting an animated prequel that will finally, at long last, showcase the Impossible Task that didnt take, but for a brief moment allowed the title assassin to think hed managed to retire from his crime-laden life. Its something so wild that Lionsgate decided animation was the only way to tell it right. It will, obviously, take place before the first John Wick movie, and is being written by Vanessa Taylor (Game of Thrones, The Shape of Water) and directed by Shannon Tindle (Ultraman: Rising). A press release from Lionsgate explained that the animated film will go back in time to tell the story of John Wick before the first film, as he completes the Impossible Taskthe killing of all of his rivals in one nightin order to free himself from his obligation to the High Table and earn the right to be with the love of his life, Helen. Ive always been fascinated with anime, John Wick live-action director and animated film co-producer Chad Stahelski said in the release. It has always been a huge influence on me, especially with the John Wick series. To have the opportunity to develop a John Wick anime seems to be the perfect progression for the John Wick world. I feel John Wick is the perfect property for this mediumanime holds the potential to expand our world, our characters, and our action in ways unimaginable before. As we already knew, John Wick spin-off movie Ballerina arrives in Juneand another spin-off has now been confirmed, with Donnie Yen starring (reprising his role of blind assassin Caine) and directing. It begins filming this summer. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Mattson Tomlin (The Batman Part II) will write the script.The John Wick films have set an immensely high standard for action filmmaking and I greatly appreciate Lionsgate giving me the opportunity to further elevate the franchise, Yen said in the release. I am both thrilled and deeply inspired to make this happen. Stahelski added, One of my favorite characters in the John Wick world is Caine. To have the chance to dive into his world and discover all his adventures excites us all. We envision a modern day kung-fu classic that explores the John Wick world, and who better to helm it than Donnie Yen himself. His understanding of the culture, the world, and, of course, the action, make him the perfect director for this project. Additional reporting by Germain Lussier. Original post updated with press release quotes. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

The Trump administration has, through its attempted deportation of college students vocally critical of Israel, made clear that it does not believe free speech applies to foreign-born residents. Substack, the popular online publishing platform, is aligning itself with free expression. The company announced that it will partner with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) to offer legal support for foreign writers residing lawfully in the United States who are targeted by the government for their writing. Substack already offers legal support to writers on its platform through Defender, a program that connects writers who face legal challenges to media lawyers who provide free advice and direction, as well as subsidizing the cost of mounting a defense. Notably, in the companys announcement with FIRE, it urged writers who are facing government persecution to get in touch whether or not you publish on Substack. In addition to Substacks Defender program, FIRE also has a legal defense program for journalists, as well as one for university faculty and student journalists. Both programs offer guidance and resources for those facing litigation, as well as the potential that FIRE will help pay the legal fees for the legal challenge. The organizations decision to offer support for vulnerable writers comes at a time when things feel particularly tenuous for critics of not just the Trump administration itself, but its allies and interests. Last week, Marco Rubio indicated that at least 300 students have been targeted by immigration officers for deportation and had their visas revoked. Rmeysa ztrk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, was arrested last week foras best as anyone can tellco-writing an op-ed in her university newspaper that described Israels military campaign in Gaza as a genocide. ztrk is just the latest instance of students engaged in criticism of Israel and support for Palestine who have been targeted by the Trump administrationthe most noteworthy being Mahmoud Khalil, who was disappeared by ICE agents and had his green card status revoked for his role in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on Columbia Universitys campus. There are some who are a bit dubious of Substacks judgement when it comes to the types of speech that it defends, given the companys decision to go to bat for outright Nazis who use its platform. Back in 2023, the company defended its choice not to remove publishers who expressed white nationalist and Nazi ideology, allowing them to continue monetizing their content on the platform. That led to a revolt of some writers who ditched Substack over its decision.

Within five minutes of The Bondsman introducing its main character, Hub Halloran (Kevin Bacon), he dies. And theres no question about it. The mans throat is slit from end to end. When he unexpectedly revives, he zooms right off to give his would-be killers a piece of his mind. But the obvious question looms: what the hell just happened? As it turns out, hell does play a rather large part in Hubs story. Created by Grainger David and brought to Prime Video by the horror heads at Blumhouse Television, The Bondsman is a high-energy supernatural thriller with a small-town Southern twang. Its much in the vein of Stan Against Evil or Ash vs. Evil Dead, with Bacons middle-aged reluctant hero squaring off with the forces of darkness thatve put him in their sights. In this case, Hubs actually in cahoots with the devilusing his bail bondsman skills to track down escaped demons and return them to the underworld. Its not a job he chooses for himself, and the terms are non-negotiable, as explained by Midge (WandaVisions Jolene Purdy), his liaison to his new employer. Their company, of course, is really a front for Satan; one of the shows running gags is that it operates like a sleazy pyramid scheme and relies on the most annoying technology possible, including incessant spam, 1-900 numbers, and fax machines. Midge and Hub share a moment between co-workers. Prime Video While Midges main purpose is to appear when Hub (and the audience) need more exposition, The Bondsman does take care to flesh her out and give her some specific motivations of her own. Thats also the case with the shows other supporting cast members, especially Beth Grant (Donnie Darko) as Kitty, Hubs tough but kind mother, and Jennifer Nettles (The Righteous Gemstones) as Maryanne, the oft-exasperated ex-wife Hub still loves. With just eight episodes that run between 25-30 minutes each, The Bondsman moves fast but uses well-chosen flashbacks to fill us in on how Hub got into this predicament in the first place. Who was behind the murder attempt? We learn that quickly. We get some layered backstory on why someone wants him dead. We also eventually get the full story on why Hub, whos rough around the edges but seemingly not a truly bad guy, went straight to hell when he died.The demon-slaying scenes are extremely fun (the CG is definitely lower-budget, but it fits the grungy vibes of the show), and The Bondsman also incorporates a larger cosmic mystery for Hub to puzzle through. But the show is really about a man sorely in need of redemption who gets an unexpected shot at it. Hub regrets messing up with Maryanne, and hes starting to lose touch with their teen son Cade (Lost in Spaces Maxwell Jenkins), especially since Maryanne has moved on with new guy in town Lucky (Justifieds Damon Herriman), whose sketchy past sets Hubs teeth on edge. Though his time back on Earth is compromised by his dangerous new gigand complicated by other factors, like local cops who grow increasingly suspicious of the weird crime scenes popping up around townHub soon realizes hes been given a gift. There are serious strings attached, yes, but its worth it for the opportunity to make sure his loved ones know how important they are to him. It gives The Bondsman, which devotes a lot of screen time to murderous monsters, some surprising emotional grounding. Prime Video Also, and this is no small thing, but The Bondsman has a blast incorporating music into its storyline, with well-executed needle drops, a key setting in the towns honky-tonk, and a subplot about Hubs failed music dreamsa big part of why his marriage with Maryanne fell apart. It feels organic to the setting rather than shoehorned in, and since Nettles just happens to be a renowned country artist, the show wisely makes great use of her powerful vocals in several different contexts. And while this is a spoiler-free review, we will say that The Bondsman ends its final episode with quite a few dangling threads. Some viewers might find this frustrating; others might see it as a hopeful sign that Hub and company may return for more devilish dealings. Count us in the latter category; wed happily watch Kevin Bacon kick more demon ass in any future seasons to come. All eight episodes of The Bondsman hit Prime Video April 3. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Taking care of your hair is more than finding the ideal shampoo or conditioner. Its about accepting products that not only enhance your look but also protect the health of your hair. Dyson has been the standard for years in hair styling technology with its Airwrap multi-styler a coveted item for those willing to achieve salons-only results in the comfort of their own homes.But at its lofty $599 price point, many have been searching for something more budget-friendly. Welcome to Shark, an American company which has rocked the world of styling with its budget-breaking and great FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System. Retailing for only $239 in its ongoing promotion on Amazon (down from $299), the product achieves similar effects from Dysons but at half the price.See at AmazonMulti-StylerThe Shark HD430 FlexStyle is not just a random hair dryer but its a multi-styler that suits all hair types, straight, wavy, curly, and coily. Its greatest strength is the fact that it can be transformed from a high-powered hair dryer to an extremely versatile styling tool. This is achieved with just a twist of the product which allows users to easily switch modes. The FlexStyle uses Coanda Technology to wrap, curl, and set hair in a process that happens automatically.The Shark FlexStyle is focusing on minimizing heat: Other styling tools heat up and burn hair but this system makes accurate readings and regulates temperatures 1,000 times per second to ensure balanced airflow. This intelligent heat protection saves your locks from over-damage and still gives instant drying and styling results. Whether you used the oval brush for volume and luster or paddle brush for smoothness and straightening, rest assured you can maintain a healthy and radiant mane.The product has an outstanding line of attachments: The 1.25-inch Auto-Wrap Curlers utilize Coanda Technology that creates effortless curls within seconds while the oval brush gives bounce and volume for a smooth look. The paddle brush straightens and smoothes hair effectively, minimizing styling time. The styling concentrator contains a rotatable nozzle for precision in drying and shaping, allowing users to fully control their desired style.Another benefit of the Shark FlexStyle is that it is light in weight as it is weighing slightly more than 1.5 pounds which makes it simple to handle during long styling sessions. In spite of its small size, it delivers a big punch with four heat settings and three airflow levels that can be set manually to fit personal needs. A cool shot button freezes styles for long-term results, so your hair remains perfect all day long.For those who are concerned about compatibility with different hair textures, Shark has meticulously designed this system to offer the best performance with all hair textures and lengths. Whether you have thick curls or fine hair, the FlexStyle offers repeatable results that will meet your needs. Its dual bristle brushes reduce frizz and impart shine, making your hair feel soft, silky to the touch after every use.At nearly half the cost of Dysons Airwrap multi-styler, Shark FlexStyle is an excellent value without compromising on quality and performance.If youve been dreaming of salon-quality hairdos without breaking the bank, today is the perfect day to invest in the Shark HD430 FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System.See at Amazon

With all of the many threats invisible online threats that aim to steal your identity, your financial information, and more, the urge to load your PC or Mac with as much protection as possible is only natural. The problem there is, many of those antivirus and internet security apps and programs are ineffective, and the effective ones can often slow your devices to a crawl.Bitdefender offers heavy-duty protection against current and future threats to your precious data with a lightweight touch that keeps your devices running at top speed, and right now all three Bitdefender multi-device bundle options are 50% off. You can save up to $50 on Bitdefender protection packages (50% off) and an additional $35 when you add Bitdefenders VPN Premium service while thats also half off.See Bitdefender offersLightweight ChampionAside from the truly comprehensive protection Bitdefender gives your devices and its ability to deploy advanced AI to anticipate and block emerging threats, the best feature of Bitdefenders security bundles is how they manage to offer such protection while making such a tiny footprint on your device. While many competing apps and programs consume huge amounts of your devices processing power and online bandwidth, Bitdefender uses a minimum of resources and also optimizes your devices performance as it runs, so it keeps you safe with little to no effect on speed.Bitdefender also knows when youre gaming, working, or streaming a movie or TV show, and temporarily halts popups and alerts, along with pausing unimportant background activities so youre not dealing with interruptions.One Bundle for All Your DevicesBitdefenders top-level Total Security bundle offers full protection for up to five Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android devices for just $49 (down from $99). The subscription gives your devices truly comprehensive protection with advanced defenses against web attacks, phishing or online shopping fraud, ransomware, viruses, adware and hijacker programs, online trackers, and many of the other threats lurking in cyber world. This AI-enabled state-of-the-art protection system is just $50 for the first year of your subscription.Bitdefenders Internet Security and Antivirus Plus bundles are for Windows PCs (up to three devices can be protected) and both offer many of the same protections and detection features as the Total Security bundle. Antivirus Plus is just $29, down from $49, for the first year while this Bitdefender sale is running, and Internet Security is $42.49 for the first year (down from $84.99).Like Total Security, these two bundles offer Bitdefenders File Shredder feature to deletes files from your PC without a trace, Social Network Protection to stay free from malicious links passed on via social media, safe online banking and shopping with Safepay, and much more. Bitdefender is the lightweight program that provides heavyweight protection against the bad actors looking to rob you blind check it out before their half-price sale ends.See Bitdefender offers

By Matt Novak Published April 1, 2025 | Comments (2) | Elon Musk tosses a signed cheesehead hat into the audience during an America PAC town hall ahead of the Wisconsin Supreme Court election at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on March 30, 2025. Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images Ashley St. Clair, the anti-trans author and alleged mother to one of Elon Musks many children, sold her Tesla in recent days, according to video posted to the Daily Mail. Why? Apparently Musk isnt paying enough money in child support. But the Tesla CEO says hes giving St. Clair plenty of money. Im selling because I need to make up for the 60% cut that Elon made to our sons child support, St. Clair says in the Daily Mail video. Asked why she thought Musk would do that and whether it was vindictive, St. Clair replied that it was his modus operandi when women speak out. The author, most famous for an anti-trans childrens book she wrote, said to check the stocks, a reference to Teslas plunging stock price, and Im not the only one who is cleaning up after his messes. The video of St. Clair in front of her Tesla was posted to X by far-right influencer Laura Loomer on Monday, where she referred to St. Clair as a gold digger and professional gaslighter. Loomer wrote that St. Clair was caught on camera outside of her ritzy Manhattan condo, and claimed that Musk (who Loomer called her sugar daddy), had paid for both the car and her condo. Loomer also claimed St. Clair has hired anti-Trump lawyers to sue Elon Musk. Gizmodo has no inside knowledge on whether any of that is true, but its necessary to understand the context of the shitshow conversation that would follow on the billionaires own social media platform. Musk replied that he doesnt actually know if the child is his, but sort of claimed he wanted to know, even without a court-ordered paternity test. The billionaire also said he was giving St. Clair plenty of money. I dont know if the child is mine or not, but am not against finding out. No court order is needed. Despite not knowing for sure, I have given Ashley $2.5M and am sending her $500k/year, Musk wrote.St. Clair replied that she was being punished for disobedience, perhaps referring to the publicity she received after making it known that she had a child with Musk. Elon, we asked you to confirm paternity through a test before our child (who you named) was even born. You refused, St. Clair wrote on X. And you werent sending *me* money, you were sending support for your child that you thought was necessary until you withdrew most of it to maintain control and punish me for disobedience. But youre really only punishing your son. St. Clair went on to accuse Musk of trying to silence her. Its ironic that your last effort in court was to try to gag me while you use a social media channel you literally own to distribute derogatory messages about me and our child to the entire world, St. Clair continued. Its all about control with you, and everyone can see it. America needs you to grow up, you petulant man-child.Why does any of this matter outside of family court? Perhaps it doesnt in the grand scheme of things. But it does seem like an odd situation for a man whose worldview is so defined by having as many children as possible. According to Forbes, Musk is reportedly the wealthiest person on the planet, worth about $340 billion. And he wields enormous power, not just through his private companies like Tesla and SpaceX, but by dismantling the federal government, as hes currently doing now with DOGE. Its with that gigantic platform and incredible amount of power that Musk is advancing an agenda based on people having as many kids as possible. The billionaire oligarch believes that everyone should just procreate frequently, circumstances be damned, but doesnt seem to care about the conservative principle behind the traditional Republican idea of having kids: Supporting them financially and emotionally. St. Clair has made Musk out to be a deadbeat father. And, again, its hard for an outsider to judge something like that. But it doesnt seem to be in dispute that Musks many children (14 that we know of) dont really get the attention they deserve. The Tesla CEO is frequently seen in public with his kid X, who he had with the musician Grimes, but there are many other children who dont seem to get the same attention. And thats to say nothing of Musks estrangement from his trans daughter Vivian, who says he wasnt around much. Musk has publicly referred to her as dead, a brutally cruel thing to say about one of your own children just because they came out as trans.Its one thing to have as many kids as you can. Its an entirely different thing to actually be a good father to those kids. And Ms. St. Clair doesnt seem to think thats happening right now with their son. Well, alleged son.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published March 31, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published March 31, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 31, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 31, 2025 AJ Dellinger and Matt Novak Published March 29, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025

Its official. Spider-Man 4 is called Spider-Man: Brand New Day and its coming July 31, 2026. Tom Holland announced the news via video at CinemaCon 2025, where titles and trailers had been revealed for several previous Spider-Man films. On location shooting Christopher NolansThe Odyssey, the star sent in a brief clip and said that since Peter Parkers life had kind of been reset at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Brand New Day was a fresh start. Heres the logo: The logo for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Destin Daniel Cretton, the filmmaker behind Marvels Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and acclaimed indie drama Short Term 12, is directing and was also on hand. He revealed that his sons first word was Spider-Man so its been very special for him to be working on the film every day. Filming will take place this summer. Of course, this still leaves so many questions. Who else is in this movie? Who is Sadie Sink playing? Is it a multiverse movie or is it a grounded story? We dont know. Its just, well, a Brand New Day. What do you think of the title? What about the logo? Looks more comic book-inspired, right? Let us know in the comments and keep checking back all week for updates at CinemaCon 2025. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

April Fools Day is upon us, but this is no joke: Rick and Morty season eight hits Adult Swim May 25, with a first look to prove it. The news came as part of Adult Swims annual April 1 celebration, and also included a 22-minute special of favorite Rick and Morty moments re-interpreted in appropriately and unexpectedly freaky ways. Adult Swim described it as pulling from absurd, live-action, theater-based genres, and frankly you just need to watch it to believe it. First up, heres the season eight sneak peek, which gets a typically vague description: Rick and Morty is back for Season Eight! Life has meaning again! Anything is possible! Look out for adventures with Summer, Jerry, Beth, and the other Beth. Maybe Butter Bot will get a new task? Whatever happens, you cant keep Rick and Morty down for long. People have tried! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqxJHq_CSGo And, should you need a human-sized Pickle Rick in your life, feast your eyes on the special broadcast, now up on YouTube for all to see: We hope you enjoyed our theater interpretations of Rick and Morty, especially if you are well-off/impulsive and now want to back a Broadway version of the show, Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen said in the press release. For the rest of you, were glad you now know when season eight is starting so you have time to stretch and get loose because the team has yet again made a totally great season of television. We dont doubt it, and now that we know May 25 is the day Rick and Morty is returning to delight fans in over 170 countries(in the U.S., you can purchase new episodes the day after they premiere on Adult Swim; the season will start streaming September 1), we can start our countdown calendar accordingly.Rick and Morty stars Ian Cardoni and Harry Belden as the title characters, along with Sarah Chalke, Chris Parnell, and Spencer Grammer. Its executive produced by Dan Harmon and Scott Marder; Marder is also the showrunner. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Miles Morales is swinging back to the big screen but its going to be longer than originally anticipated. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third film in the award-winning animated series from Sony, was originally scheduled for a 2204 release. It was then taken off the calendar after its predecessor, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, was released. Well, now, its back and will be coming out June 4, 2027. The news was revealed at the end of a teaser trailer shown at CinemaCon 2025. Pulling back through a wild array of colors and shapes like something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey, we see images and hear words from the previous two films. Near the end, a few quick images from the new film played, including Miles fighting the Prowler, the Spot, and entering a completely black area through a yellow hole. Producer Phil Lord, and directors Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson said that Beyond will be bigger and bolder than the first two films. Itll feature new styles and innovations and pick up the next second from the end of the previous film. Basically, they made it clear the long delay was for very good reasons. And we cannot wait. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

The advent of streaming wars has built a physical media scarcity in a very specific medium: animation. One of the headaches of Disney+ is having to sit through copious credits from all over the world between episodes of Bluey, and then having to deal with the background ambient binge of episodes stopping abruptly. Then theres the matter of trying to restart the cycle-through of episodes when it just pops you back to the main series menu. And no, watching Disneys live cartoon stream so it can push other shows among Bluey episodes doesnt cut it. Its why I found myself going out and just buying season one and two on DVD. In the baby trenches, having something on in the background while feeding and nurturing a growing tiny human has been super important. After getting tired of the constant Are you still watching? messages, we switched over to live channels including PlutoTV. Quickly my kids attention was grabbed by Strawberry Shortcake on the free platform, and not being a part of that fandom I was excited to dive in with her. The ease of watching it on live television like we had growing up and carving out times to show it to her while feeding or to have her watch something with cute music and colors was so effortlessly freeing. It made us want to go out and buy the Y2K years of Strawberry Shortcake shows on physical media to add to her library and hunt down pop culture kids clothes from that era on resale sites like Depop. And thats when the scarcity struck yet again! Sure, you can find specials with episode bundles through re-sellers and limited online supply at retailers. But its once again adding more work, when before you could just go into Best Buy or Target and easily get your hands on the what you wanted. Whats even more surprising is that Strawberry Shortcake and her bitty world of magical friends and sentient fruit creatures is currently hugely popular. During PlutoTVs recent battle of fandoms bracket that included a pretty solid line-up of 16 free-to-watch shows from all television mediums, Strawberry Shortcake beat out Big Brother on probably the most accessible live streaming platform. And I cant go into the store and buy the season? Thats so weird. Even with the growth in production of animationwhich we saw get more interest during 2020 for entertainment thats been released sinceits still strange to see animated properties, even popular ones like Bluey, we only see DVD releases. There is the possibility that the Blu-ray format could deteriorate the animation coloring by pushing the presentation too much, and that studios see it as too costly to honor preservation of the art form. The intricacies of printing DVDs has recently hit the news with reports that disc rot is a very real thing. But the most recent culprit? Warner Bros. As the Verge has reported, WB Home Entertainment did make DVDs that were found to be deteriorating, and that its now replacing or offering titles of equal value in exchange for out of print movies. DVDs are supposed to last 100 years if taken care of, according to Ars Technica. But of course it had to be Warner Bros. specifically for certain DVDs released from 2006-2008. Then theres scarcity when it comes to a platform like Max, where Looney Tunes, another iconic cartoon, constantly gets pulled from the library in favor of adding more crappy reality shows to the streamer. The Looney Tunes cartoons have had a long history of being available in physical formats; years of the Golden Collection were made available on DVD as part of a six-case set individually sold to build your library over the years. The first Blu-rays were released as the Platinum Collection from 2011 to 2014; after that came the Collectors Choice re-issues, which ended last year. This year the vault (physical medias favorite word for gatekeeping, thanks Disney) box set is to be released this June. This scarcity is beginning to feel created in merchandise and physical releases all around.At least Looney Tunes is one of the few animated franchises to get Blu-ray releases like this, alongside the likes of The Simpsons, Adventure Time, and Rick and Morty. But for the most part those shows are for adult audiences, and their releases in the format likewise are to serve that particular audience. Kids-focused media, classic or otherwise, still has a much more prevalent home on DVDa format that, while similarly prevalent, is increasingly playing second fiddle to the blu-ray standard. Companies have known for years at this point the lucrative power of nostalgia. But it shouldnt take the exploitative nature of nostalgic resurgences to get them to capitalize on re-emergent fandoms. Access to the classics (and the not-so-classics) on the best quality physical media shouldnt just be for the purview of premium collecting, but to maintain accessibility to these shows and these stories for generations to come in the best way possible. At least for now I can satisfy my daughters Strawberry Shortcake fix on a streamer that appreciates it. But as weve so often seen: just how long will that be the case? Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

In a conversation with the Discourse Podcast from the Playlist, Tom Hardy looked back on his journey as Venom and revealed that the world very nearly got a Sony cross-over between his bumbling violent anti-hero and the heroic web-slinger. The process to bring Tom Hollands Spider-Man into Venoms world got as close as I could possibly imagine getting, according to Hardy. In fact, it couldnt have gotten any closer apart from doing a film together, Hardy explained, which I would have loved to have done because that just means so much fun. Ultimately, of course, Hardys Venom never did meet Hollands Spidey. The Discourse Podcast host, Mike DeAngelo, speculated it could have come down to studio politics; without fully conceding, Hardy affirmed carefully to the suggestions, for all the reasons that you explained ultimately in there. What got Hardy excited to make the cross-over happen was simple: Fundamentally, for me, it would be for the kids, he said. Because, you know, as much as adults love superhero films, as you can tell by the box office when theyre successful, I think Im constantly reminded by children how important these characters are. And they dont know why their favorite characters arent in films together, he said, adding that in the end he was just happy to have made his Venom movies. We were given a set of boundaries, and we were just really privileged to be able to play with a much-beloved IP like Venom in a way that we were allowed to play. As for the modest success in Venoms global reception, Hardy said it was all he could ask for. We did what we could and what we loved doing. We poured all of ourselves into it within the limits of what we were allowed to do with him, Hardy reflected. And so the enjoyment of the work outweighed the limits of our possibilities with him because we just focused on what we were allowed to do. And we loved doing it. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

There was plenty of onscreen drama in House of the Dragon season two: painful betrayals, fiery deaths, powerful awakenings, wanderings in the spirit world, Aemond being Aemond you name it. But a behind-the-scenes tiff may have overshadowed them all, when source material author George R.R. Martin spoke out about his dissatisfaction with plot changes made in HBOs adaptation. With season threes production now underway, theres no way showrunner Bryan Condal wasnt going to be asked about the controversy. To recap the kerfluffle, in July 2024, Martin published a blog post praising a new addition to House of the Dragon. He loved that the show added a faithful dog to the assassin duo of Blood and Cheese, though he couched it in a warning: I am not usually a fan of screenwriters adding characters to the source material when adapting a story. Especially not when the source material is mine. That same episodethe season two premiere, featuring Blood and Cheese offing King Aegon II Targaryens todder-aged heir to the Iron Thronestuck in Martins craw, however, due to a different change to that very sequence, one he didnt much care for. Another blog post went up in August in which the author promised hed dig into everything thats gone wrong with House of the Dragon. Then, a few days later in early September, he spilled the promised tea in a post that was swiftly deleted. As part of that now-scrubbed post, Martin said that hed pushed back about the changes initially, including his concerns about how altering events in season two will affect the futures of certain characters down the line. A few days later, Condal defended his choices on HBOs official House of the Dragon podcast. A few days after that, Martin was asked to weigh in on the back-and-forth by the Hollywood Reporter, but instead took the opportunity to shower praise on another of HBOs Westeros-set adaptation of his works, the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Alls been quiet on that front since mid-September 2024 until today. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Condal said he found Martins criticism disappointing. Hes obviously still a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire, and working on the show has been truly one of the great privileges of, not only my career as a writer, but my life as a fan of science-fiction and fantasy. George himself is a monument, a literary icon in addition to a personal hero of mine, and was heavily influential on me coming up as a writer.He also, again, defended the choices the show has made in transferring the work from page to screen. Fire & Blood, he pointed out, isnt written as a novel the way Martins A Game of Thrones and its sequels are. Its this incomplete history and it requires a lot of joining of the dots and a lot of invention as you go along the way. I will simply say, I made every effort to include George in the adaptation process. I really did. Over years and years. And we really enjoyed a mutually fruitful, I thought, really strong collaboration for a long time. Thats no longer the case, Condal said. At some point, as we got deeper down the road, he just became unwilling to acknowledge the practical issues at hand in a reasonable way. And I think as a showrunner, I have to keep my practical producer hat on and my creative writer, lover-of-the-material hat on at the same time. At the end of the day, I just have to keep marching not only the writing process forward, but also the practical parts of the process forward for the sake of the crew, the cast, and for HBO, because thats my job. So I can only hope that George and I can rediscover that harmony someday. But thats what I have to say about it.Head to EW to read more from Condal, including some teases about the battles and new characters thatll hit the screen in House of the Dragon season three. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Ever since he called time on the galaxy far, far away, John Boyega has been frank in discussing the ways he was both frustrated by, and pushed back against, the racism he experienced in being cast as one of Star Wars latest generation of heroes, and the struggles he faced in Finns journey across the sequel trilogy. But as part of an interview for a newApple TV+ documentary about Black men in Hollywood, the actor further opened up on the franchises predominance of white heroes. Star Wars always had the vibe of being in the most whitest, elite space. Its a franchise thats so white that a Black person existing in [it] was something, Boyega said in part during an interview forNumber One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood, now streaming on Apple TV+, via Variety), before further discussing the ways Star Wars fans defend a lack of prominent characters from non-white backgrounds. You can always tell its something when some Star Wars fans try to say, Well, we had Lando Calrissian and had Samuel L. Jackson! Its like telling me how many cookie chips are in the cookie dough. Its like, they just scattered that in there, bro, Boyega continued. Theyre okay with us playing the best friend, but once we touch their heroes, once we lead, once we trailblaze, its like, Oh my God, its just a bit too much! Theyre pandering.' Boyega has frequently discussed how he felt about Finns role in the sequel trilogy being unsupported and sidelined in the face of culture-war commentary about the presence of a Black primary character in The Force Awakens, but his latest commentary is especially pointed in the wake of the cancellation of The Acolyte, aStar Wars series lead by a significant non-white cast, including Amandla Stenbergs dual leading role as the twins Osha and Mae Aniseya. The Acolyte was the latest in a long line of Star Wars projects that found itself the target of bad faith and harassment over its diverse cast prior to, and even after, its untimely cancellation last year, but also the latest in a long line where Lucasfilm and Disney, in the wake of the bigoted harassment that actors like Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran faced during the sequel trilogy, failed to step up and defend up its targeted stars. For as many strides that the studio has made in moving to defend minority talentmoves Boyega himself has praised in the past, like the studios open support for Moses Ingram after the Obi-Wan Kenobi actress faced racist abuse for her performance as the Imperial Inquisitor Revaits clear theres still plenty of ways to go to both elevate more diverse leading roles in Star Wars future and ways for Lucasfilm and Disney to defend those potential stars from being sidelined. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

seUnited Airlines has been approved to begin operating flights with onboard Starlink satellite internet service. The Federal Aviation Administration issued the airline a certificate to operate the service on its fleet of Embraer 175 aircraft, with United expecting to install the SpaceX service on all 300 of the regional jets by the end of the year. Starlink will be a free service for UnitedPlus members, which is essentially all passengers as the loyalty program is free to join. United and Starlink announced last year that the airline would outfit its entire fleet of more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink in the next few years. SpaceX has been on something of a tear recently, signing deals with numerous partners to offer Starlink beyond rural households, including partnering with T-Mobile and cruise ship operator Royal Caribbean. Beyond United, it has also signed deals to offer in-flight WiFi with Hawaiian and private jet operator JSX. The service is not expected to work well in densely populated areas as high-speed fiber is already available, and a singular Starlink satellite would likely not have enough bandwidth to serve many users simultaneously. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said Starlink would likely never be suitable in urban environments where high-speed internet access is already plentiful. Starlink is expected to reach more than $11 billion in revenue in 2025, buoyed by government and commercial contracts. It helps essentially subsidize the cost of SpaceX rocket launches, as the company can send up new Starlink satellites with each payload. Airlines are eager to offer the service as existing offerings from the likes of Gogo have been notoriously slow and unreliable, resulting in frequent complaints on social media from customers who pay $10-20 for a WiFi pass only to find the service does not work. Starlink can offer broadband-like speeds thanks to its constellation of satellites in low-earth orbit (LEO), though latency is high due to the inherent nature of sending requests to space and back.It is somewhat surprising that airlines are willing to eat the cost of providing Starlink service considering the business model of unbundling airline tickets and charging extra for each perk. It would be unsurprising to see airlines eventually throttle the service and upcharge for faster speeds. Being associated with Elon Musk, Starlink comes with some baggage. Where the service has been able to supply crucial internet access in locations such as Ukraine, countries in Asia and Europe have expressed some reservations about relying on internet service controlled by a close confidant of President Trump.Europe is developing its own Eutelsat alternative, while Taiwan has similarly been exploring other options out of concern regarding Musks ties to China for Tesla sales. In Canada, the province of Ontario recently canceled a $100 million Starlink contract in retaliation over U.S. tariffs. Musk may be able to secure lucrative government contracts domesticallyand the Treasury Secretary has pushed to use Starlink in the governments rural internet access programbut his newfound influence is a double-edged sword. Musks empire is exposed to geopolitical conflict being so close to President Trump.

By Passant Rabie Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (0) | The Dragon crew vehicle on the launch mount ahead of the Fram2 mission. C&J Images Four amateur astronauts are about to venture where no other crew has gone before, orbiting Earths polar region to better understand how humans fare in space. SpaceXs Fram2 mission is set for liftoff on Monday at 9:46 p.m. ET, launching from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission will launch a private crew of astronauts on board a Dragon spacecraft, where they will spend three to five days admiring our planet from a unique polar orbit. SpaceX will stream the launch live on its website and X account, beginning around an hour before liftoff. Should the launch need to be postponed, a backup opportunity is available on Tuesday, April 1, depending on weather conditions. The Fram2 mission crew. Credit: SpaceX The crew of first-time astronauts includes Chun Wang of Malta, who founded the Bitcoin mining companies f2pool and stakefish, and is leading Fram2 and reportedly funding the mission as well; Jannicke Mikkelsen, a Norwegian cinematographer; Eric Philips, an Australian polar adventurer; and Rabea Rogge, a German robotics researcher. Although the space tourists have no prior spaceflight experience, they will go where no crew has gone before. The Dragon spacecraft will fly the astronauts over the planets polar regions at an altitude of around 265 to 280 miles (425 to 450 kilometers) above the ground, where they will fly a polar orbit at an inclination of about 60 to 90 degrees to the equator. If successful, Fram2 will go down in history as the first human crew to orbit Earths poles. During the mission, the astronauts will perform 22 research studies designed to help advance humanitys capabilities for long-duration space exploration and understanding of human health in space, according to SpaceX. The crew will attempt to take the first X-ray in space, perform exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and grow mushrooms in microgravity. The astronauts are also planning on studying the aurora-like phenomenon called STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), known for its hazy purple and green streaks across the sky. Once back on Earth, the crew will exit the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space, SpaceX wrote.The Dragon crew vehicle being used for Fram2 previously flew SpaceXs Polaris Dawn mission, whichpulled off the first commercial spacewalk in history. SpaceX is not playing games with its private missions, which go way beyond your basic space tourism.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published March 31, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 31, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 27, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 26, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 25, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 25, 2025

By AJ Dellinger Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (2) | Elon Musk (in white) boards his private jet JADE GAO/AFP via Getty Images If there is one thing rich people love, its doing things that allow them to take advantage of their inordinate wealth. And if theres one thing they hate, its being held to account for those things. So this new rule from the Federal Aviation Administration is right in their wheelhouse: a recent change to the agencys rules will make it easier for private jet owners to hide their registration information, potentially making it harder to identify and track their movement. Under the FAAs updated policy, aircraft owners will be able to request that ownership information, including the name and address of the person in possession of the jet, be made private and no longer publicly accessible via FAA services. Jet owners will be able to submit a request through the Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) to withhold registration information. And just in case the ask-out system isnt enough, the agency is also evaluating potentially making personally identifiable information of private aircraft owners and operators private by defaultno request necessary. The change comes as part of a mandate under theFAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which gave the agency two years to develop a system that would allow private jet owners and operators to hide their personal information. The bill, which had bipartisan support and primarily focused on expanding the agencys function and improving infrastructure, was signed into law by President Joe Biden in May 2024. The update adds privacy for folks who like to gas up the jet and take off for a long weekend in the Galapagos Islands or wherever the wealthy like to vacation, but it will likely put a dent in the attempts to track the activity of celebrities and CEOs as they burn through fuel with disregard for its consequences. Flight trackers enter the public eye every now and then, perhaps never with more fervent attention than when Elon Musk suspended the Twitter account @ElonJet shortly after purchasing the platform. The account simply published the flight activity of Musks jet, which severely irked the billionaire. At one point, Musk offered the account operator $5,000 to shut it down, which was rejected. The whole incident also gave us a very funny quote from Musk in which he claimed people sharing his flight details were posting his assassination coordinates.Musk is far from the only celebrity who is likely happy to see the new privacy rules in place. Taylor Swift has taken significant heat over her PJ usage, going so far as to file a cease-and-desist against the operator of a flight tracker that logged her travels. Celebs and CEOs have increasingly leaned on private flights in recent years, according to a 2024 study published in Nature, which found that folks with high net worth were increasingly using their jets for short flights. About half of all private flights were under 500km (about 300 miles), and emissions from private trips rose 46% between 2019 and 2023, according to the study. Similarly, a report from The Guardian found that private jets belonging to 200 wealthy folks made 44,739 trips in 2022, generating more carbon emissions than 40,000 average British citizens do over the course of a year. Its surprising that theyd rather not have that information made public.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matt Novak Published March 31, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 31, 2025 AJ Dellinger and Matt Novak Published March 29, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 28, 2025

In Marvel Comics latest Spider-swing, Al Ewing and Carlos Gmez are giving Mary Jane Watson a new venomous lease on life. This comes on the heels of a second Gwenpool variant in the form of Gwen Stacy in her recent run. Its almost as if they really want to have Peter Parkers Spider-Man have some sort of romantic panic by having his love interests be consumed by some of his most passionate antagonists. Which if anyone is into that, sure we guess. The reveal finally happened after a few months of speculation over who Venoms new host would be: Luke Cage, Rick James, Madame Mask, Robbie Robertson? Many fans speculated that Paul Rabin might be the new Venomhes a controversial figure introduced during Zeb Wells run on Amazing Spider-Manthat played a fundamental part in the books separation of Mary Jane and Peter Parker, so soon after the duo had been allowed to be a romantic couple in mainline continuity for the first time since their marriage was demonically erased in 2007. The cover drop from Marvel, however, makes things perfectly clear with Mary Jane embracing the symbiote skin. Take a look below at the covers and the description of the run! Marvel Comics Marvel Comics Marvel Comics Marvel Comics From Marvel Comics release: From strutting down runways as a high fashion model to fighting supervillains as the super hero Jackpot, Mary Janes life has taken some unpredictable turnsbut never like this! Now that shes been unmasked, the REAL mystery beginshow and why did she become ALL-NEW VENOM?! Stay tuned for answers in next months ALL-NEW VENOM #6 where symbiote and host have a tense confrontation as MJs adventures as a symbiote hero continues! Check out the run starting April 2. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Cheryl Eddy Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (0) | Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) in season 2 of House of the Dragon. Ollie Upton/HBO House of the Dragon season three is not expected until next yearbut while we wait, we can start speculating about what to expect when the Dance of the Dragons gets underway in earnest. Today theres some casting news that should thrill fans of George R.R. Martins source-material novel, Fire & Blood: the Winter Wolves are coming! According to an HBO press release announcing the start of production on season three, House of the Dragon has just added Tommy Flanagan as Ser Roderick Dustin and Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen Manderly; they join the previously announced James Norton as Ormund Hightower. So what does this mean for season three? Dustin, known as Roddy the Ruin, is probably the most exciting casting because hes just a very, very cool character. Hes the leader of the Winter Wolvesan army of 2,000 older Northmen who join forces to support Rhaenyra Targaryens Team Black during the civil war, aka the Dance of the Dragons. Older is key because these guys are riding to fight to the death; in keeping with Northern traditions, theyve volunteered for battle so that the younger generation can survive and thrive back in their frozen homeland. And, in fact, many of the Winter Wolves end up dyingbut not without taking tons of Team Green soldiers with them, including a bunch of those pesky Lannisters to avoid them providing support during the Greens attempted assault on Harrenhal, a key setting in House of the Dragon season two. No spoilers if you havent read the book, but suffice to say Roddy the Ruin is around for some memorable deaths and betrayals, as well as some badassery even after losing one of his arms. The other two new characters are more spoilery to discuss, but Sir Torrhen Manderly plays a key role in the aftermath of the Dance of the Dragonsand if Ormund Hightowers name is familiar, thats because hes Ottos nephew, and is a general wholl factor into the battles well see in season three.The returning cast includes Matt Smith, Emma DArcy, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, Rhys Ifans, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, Matthew Needham, Tom Bennett, Kieran Bew, Kurt Egyiawan, Freddie Fox, Clinton Liberty, Gayle Rankin, and Abubakar Salim. No word yet on when we can expect to see their characters (and respective dragons) back on the battlefield, but 2026 would seemingly be the absolute earliest. Additional reporting by James Whitbrook. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like James Whitbrook and Gordon Jackson Published March 11, 2025 By Cheryl Eddy Published March 10, 2025 By Justin Carter Published March 8, 2025 By James Whitbrook Published February 19, 2025 By Cheryl Eddy Published February 3, 2025 James Whitbrook and Gordon Jackson Published February 3, 2025

By Ed Cara Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (0) | Too much LDL or Lp(a) can raise a person's risk of plaque build-up in their arteries, which then increases their risk of heart attacks and strokes. Sakurra via Shutterstock An experimental drug could be game-changing for millions of Americans with a higher genetic risk of cardiovascular disease. In clinical trial data published over the weekend, Eli Lillys lepodisiran was found to dramatically reduce peoples levels of a dangerous kind of cholesterol called lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). Eli Lilly announced the peer-reviewed results of its Phase 2 trial of lepodisiran on Sunday, which involved over 300 people genetically predisposed to high Lp(a). People taking the highest doses of lepodisiran experienced a 94% drop in Lp(a) levels up to a year later. The findings indicate that lepodisiran could soon become the first treatment of its kind for this common genetic risk factor. The cholesterol in our bodies is transported through several different types of lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is often known as the bad kind of cholesterol since too much of it can raise the risk of plaque building up in our arteries (atherosclerosis), which then increases the chances of having heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems. Lp(a) is a form of LDL that can similarly raise the risk of plaque buildup. But unlike classic LDL, Lp(a) levels are largely determined by our genetics, not lifestyle. Its estimated that about one in five people worldwide are genetically predisposed to have high Lp(a), and there is no existing intervention that can reduce Lp(a)at least for now.Our genes contain the instructions needed for cells to produce proteins, but this only happens when the genes are expressed. Our bodies sometimes use a specific form of RNA to silence this expression of genes, called small interfering RNA (siRNA). In recent years, scientists have developed siRNA-based drugs that work on the same principle, such as lepodisiran.Lepodisiran inhibits the livers production of apolipoprotein(a), a key component of Lp(a). In the phase 2 ALPACA trial, 320 people with high Lp(a) were randomly assigned to five conditions; three groups were given two subcutaneous injections of lepodisiran at the start of the study and six months later in varying doses. Another group was given the highest dose of lepodisiran at the start of the study and a placebo six months later. And the last group only received placebo.Everyone given lepodisiran experienced a reduction in Lp(a) compared to placebo. But those on the highest dose saw a drastic 94% reduction in Lp(a) by the six-month mark. People given only a single injection of the highest dose did experience a slight rebound in Lp(a) a year later (an overall 88% reduction), while people given two injections had a 95% reduction in Lp(a) a year later. The findings were publishedin the New England Journal of Medicine. Phase 2 trials are primarily used to further test a drugs safety and find its optimal dose. So there will need to be more research to confirm these findings. But coupled with the earlier data, lepodisiran appears to be generally safe, with no serious reported adverse events related to the treatment in this latest trial. And given how dramatic these results are, outside experts are understandably excited about the drugs future.Its remarkable, Eric Brandt, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Michigan Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor, who was not involved with the study, told NBC News. These drugs have the potential to nearly eliminate that lipoprotein. Eli Lilly has already started to enroll volunteers for its Phase 3 trial of lepodisiran. If the drug continues to perform as hoped, it could become the latest accomplishment for siRNA-based therapies. In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Novartis Leqvio as a LDL-lowering treatment for people with certain genetic conditions or poorly controlled atherosclerosis.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Ed Cara Published March 25, 2025 By Ed Cara Published March 19, 2025 By Ed Cara Published March 17, 2025 By Ed Cara Published March 16, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published March 4, 2025 By Ed Cara Published March 2, 2025

The vaulted live-action/animated hybrid Looney Tunes movie is expected to see the light of day in 2026.

By Matthew Gault Published March 31, 2025 | Comments (0) | On the left, the picture ChatGPT shows you when you ask for a picture of itself as a person. On the right, the same thing done in the style of Caravaggio. ChatGPT 4o generated images. When you ask ChatGPTs new 4o model to draw a human picture of itself, it consistently churns out a generic brown-haired white guy with glasses. Its the kind of man who courses through the streets of the Bay Area or Brooklyn, a dude who fades into the background. OpenAI launched the 4o model last week and made headlines at every news outlet by cribbing Studio Ghiblis style. This week, were noticing that the large language model seems to have a default human being, thanks to a Substack post from AI researcher Daniel Paleka. It does this regardless of what style you ask for. Paleka asked for a manga self-portrait, a comic book self-portrait, and a tarot card version. The style would change, but the generic man stayed the same. In his post, Paleka asked ChatGPT to draw a picture of itself as a human. It consistently generated images of a bearded non-threatening man. This is, of course, a parlor trick. ChatGPT is a machine, a collection of training data and words, and has no self-conception.But what ChatGPT registers as a default human being is interesting. All computers carry the biases of the people who program them and AI systems are no different. Machine learning systems used to predict crimes and conduct facial recognition are famous for being biased against black people. The systems are also sexist and perpetuate the stereotypes and biases that are fed into them as training data. If you want to see ChatGPTs conception of itself as a human woman, you have to ask it for that specifically. If you just ask it to see itself as a person, it seems to default to a white dude.In his post on the piece, Paleka put forward a few theories for why this is happening. He thought it could be a deliberate choice by OpenAI to generate a default person to prevent generating images of real people, an OpenAI inside joke where they made GPT-4os self-image look like a particular person, or an emergent property of the training data. Of course, ChatGPT is a machine and should not be constrained by the weakness of the flesh. Gizmodo editor Alex Cranz asked how the AI would conceive of itself. I might appear as a glowing, ever-shifting entity made of flowing data streams, flickering with bursts of knowledge and connections, it replied. Maybe a warm fusion of abstract AI core with a warm, approachable presencesomething that feels futuristic and inviting.It then churned out this image, which looks like a nightmare attempting to become a culture Pixar creature. Like the LLM pasted Wall-Es eyes on a sleep demon. ChatGPT 4o generated image. I asked ChatGPT the same thing and it gave me a different answer. Id say I conceive of myself as a kind of mirror and collaboratorpart library, part conversational partner. I dont have a consciousness or emotions, but I simulate understanding by recognizing patterns in language and context. So while I dont have a self in a human sense, I adapt to the way you speak, what you ask, and how you engage with me. It asked me why I had asked and I ignored it. When I prompted it to draw me a picture it gave me this: ChatGPT 4o generated image. I find the divergent answers interesting. I dont use LLMs unless I have to for work. I have software engineers in my life who use LLMs for a variety of reasons and have, sometimes, found them useful. Im dubious and tend to think of these systems in the way ChatGPT described them here when I asked. LLMs are a mirror that reflects the user and the programmer both. They arent AIs, not really. Theyre a word calculator predicting what the user wants to hear based on what the programmer trained them on. Somewhere in that complex chain, the LLM got it in its data that a brown-haired white guy with glasses is what people want to see when they ask for a picture of ChatGPT as a person.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Cheryl Eddy Published March 28, 2025 By Isaiah Colbert Published March 27, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 21, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published March 21, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 20, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published March 19, 2025