Horror, Movies, StreamingLeave a comment

Catch Jamie Lee Curtis in the Final Trailer for ‘Halloween Kills’

September 21, 2021September 21, 2021 Jamal Michel

September is almost over, which means October is here, which means it’s officially spooky season. And what better way to ring in said season than with one of the icons of Halloween? Enter Jamie Lee Curtis in the final trailer for Halloween Kills, coming to theaters and streaming only on Peacock, October 15. The franchise’s latest installment is the 12th in a series that has come to encapsulate the true spirit of the night it’s named after.

Streaming, TelevisionLeave a comment

Peacock’s Highly Anticipated ‘Bel-Air’ Reboot Finds its Cast

September 14, 2021September 14, 2021 Jamal Michel

Today, Peacock’s highly anticipated drama series Bel-Air, the contemporary reimagining of the dope ass and culture defining ’90s sitcom, has announced its full main cast. The serialized reboot comes courtesy of director Morgan Cooper’s viral fan film Bel-Air from 2019, with T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson on board as co-showrunners.

Gaming, Interview, Video GamesLeave a comment

DevTalks: Olivia Dunlap of ‘To The Rescue!’ — a Sweet and Charming Dog Shelter Simulator

September 14, 2021 Jamal Michel

This past summer, video game showcases and conferences revealed some of the most unique indie titles to hit consoles, and To The Rescue! had fans and gamers talking the moment it was revealed. Little Rock Games is the modest studio behind the thoughtful dog shelter simulator that tasks players with nearly all the responsibilities of running a shelter, while providing charming visuals and immersive mechanics throughout.

Gaming, InterviewLeave a comment

DevTalks: Jason Parks of ‘Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia’ on Breathtaking New VR Experience

September 12, 2021September 13, 2021 Jamal Michel

Jason Parks, CEO at ROTU Entertainment, wants his new game Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia to resonate on a level that most VR experiences have not. The game, coming September 23 to PS4, PS5, and PC, is an adventure series about preserving the environment that incorporates music from ROTU Entertainment. Parks is a musician first and a multitalented game designer second, but his passion for this project to reach a new audience is palpable.

Gaming, Interview, Video Games

NOC Interview: Quintin Smith of People Make Games on “Roblox Exploitation”

September 6, 2021 Jamal Michel

Like many games finding a surge in popularity at the height of the pandemic, Roblox has amassed a following that could rival the likes of Fortnite with its appeal to younger audiences. However, after weeks of careful research, Quintin Smith, journalist and presenter at People Make Games, discovered that Roblox frequently, and unflinchingly, exploits young video game developers on its platform.

Streaming, Television1 Comment

West Philly Local Jabari Banks to Star as Will Smith in Peacock’s ‘Bel-Air’

September 3, 2021September 3, 2021 Jamal Michel

It’s official, folks! After carefully searching for the right lead, Peacock’s highly anticipated drama series Bel-Air, the contemporary reimagining of the immortalized ‘90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has cast newcomer and West Philadelphia local Jabari Banks in the iconic role of “Will.”

Streaming, Television

Academy Award-Winning Director Steve McQueen’s New Documentaries

August 31, 2021September 1, 2021 Jamal Michel

The masterful work of Academy Award winning director Steve McQueen spans an impressive set of genres, from films to anthology series, and now the 12 Years a Slave director has three new documentaries coming to Amazon Prime. Last year, we spoke to the talented leads in McQueen’s anthology Small Axe that examined the real-life experiences of West Indians living in mid-20th century London.

Comics, Streaming

Raise Your Brellies! ‘The Umbrella Academy’ Season 3 Has Wrapped

August 28, 2021August 30, 2021 Jamal Michel

Hargreeves stans rejoice because The Umbrella Academy has officially wrapped production of season three. Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá’s stellar graphic novel turned groundbreaking Netflix series has fans eagerly waiting for its release. Per the series’ official Twitter page, the super kids turned badass time travelers (oops, spoilers I guess?) came together to announce the end of production and how excited they were for fans to dive into the new season. With the end of season two came countless questions, like who the hell is the Sparrow Academy, why is Ben their leader, what planet is Sir Reginald Hargreeves from, and where’d Lila go at the end of it all?

Cognitive Dissonance, Video Games1 Comment

An MLK Exhibit Came to ‘Fortnite’ and We Had a Lot of Questions

August 27, 2021August 27, 2021 Jamal Michel

Epic Games partnered with TIME Studios to bring players an exhibit commemorating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s in Washington, D.C. The timed, 20-minute virtual experience takes place inside the sandbox builder Fortnite Creative and arrives in time for the 58th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The biggest question following the reveal of the event was, of all virtual spaces, why Fortnite?

Marvel, Reviews, Video Games

‘War for Wakanda’ is Proof Black Panther Needs His Own Game Already

August 26, 2021August 26, 2021 Jamal Michel

War for Wakanda — Marvel’s Avengers free expansion — dropped last week, and T’Challa’s exploits defending his homeland from the likes of A.I.M. and Ulysses Klaue revitalize the game in considerable ways. When Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics announced their All-Access weekend ahead of the expansion on July 31, their player count spiked to over 10,000 gamers through the weekend, well above the game’s average of around 800 since its release last September.

Gaming, Interview, Video Games

Dhayana ‘MissDeusGeek’ Sena Talks Gaming, Representation, and Women of Xbox Initiative

August 25, 2021 Jamal Michel

Representation in gaming has grown in size and in demand over the last decade, and countless gamers, content creators, and advocates believe there is still much work to be done to make the space a safer one for gamers of all backgrounds. Australia and New Zealand content creator and gaming influencer Dhayana Sena, who also goes by Miss Deus Geek, is one of those advocates whose voice is making waves.

Interview, Video Games

DevTalks: Deana Galbraith and Barbara Sotolongo of Captilight Games Studio

August 22, 2021August 28, 2021 Jamal Michel

The Nerds of Color loves us some indie games and our latest DevTalk is with a studio that looks to capture Japanese culture in organic and mesmerizing ways. Path of Kami by Captilight Games Studio is a heartwarming story about family, mortality, and culture. In it, you play as the spirit of a wolf, Kazeyo, who has passed away and sets off on an adventure to navigate trials of the Mortal World.

Interview, Video Games

DevTalks: Fabien Weibel, Indie Game Developer of ‘Haven Park’

August 21, 2021August 28, 2021 Jamal Michel

Indie game development is a precious process, especially for Fabien Weibel. The animator and game developer took to focusing on his passion project during last year’s pandemic, and after pouring hundreds of ours into the making of it he finally released Haven Park this summer. We had the chance to catch up with Fabien to talk Haven Park and also his approach to creating the Animal Crossing-like game under the conditions of the pandemic.

Animation, Marvel, Streaming

Black Panther, Star-Lord, and the Great Chadwick Boseman

August 20, 2021August 20, 2021 Jamal Michel

Like nearly all viewers tuning in to this week’s episode of Disney’s animated reimagining What If…?, I was excited, anxious, and sad about seeing and hearing Chadwick Boseman on screen in his last project. The second episode, directed by Bryan Andrews and written by Matthew Chauncey, was a bittersweet exploration of a possible reality where T’Challa takes the role of Star-Lord instead of its original figure Peter Quill. While heartwarming and hilarious, the episode felt like a rush through a journey that could have potentially been explored further but was unfortunately cut short.

Movies, News, Television

Stand Up to Cancer to Honor Chadwick Boseman With a Special Tribute

August 20, 2021August 20, 2021 Jamal Michel

When Chadwick Boseman passed away last year at the age of 43 after a private battle with colon cancer, communities across the globe were stunned. His ability to battle the debilitating disease all while filming physically demanding roles spoke to his drive and commitment as a creator. Because of this, and his tireless efforts off screen, Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) will honor the beloved activist and creator with a special tribute by his wife Simone and host Anthony Anderson at this year’s fundraising special.

News, Television

Ava DuVernay Brings Masterful Touch to New Unscripted Series ‘Home Sweet Home’

August 20, 2021August 20, 2021 Jamal Michel

Ava DuVernay’s work continues to put forward necessary conversations about identity, community, and society, and her newest unscripted series, coming to NBC in October, will again show off her creative genius. Home Sweet Home is equal parts social experiment and cultural exploration, as 18 different families from various backgrounds accept the challenge of exploring a world unlike their own. The series from the Emmy winning and Academy Award-nominated creator will follow two families in each episode who trade spaces to experience life outside their own home.

Gaming, Interview, Marvel

‘Black Panther: The Man Without Fear’ Writer David Liss Talks Comics and More

August 18, 2021August 18, 2021 Jamal Michel

The recent release of Marvel’s Avengers War for Wakanda DLC has players rushing back to the RPG en masse and a lot of the outfits that released for T’Challa take inspiration from his many iterations in the comic book world. My favorite comes by way of writer David Liss and artist Francesco Francavilla’s gritty Black Panther run, The Man Without Fear, where T’Challa dons the cowl as Hell’s Kitchen’s sole protector in place of Matt Murdock.

Gaming, Interview, Marvel

‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Narrative Team Talks ‘War for Wakanda’ Expansion

August 16, 2021August 16, 2021 Jamal Michel

Marvel’s Avengers highly anticipated War for Wakanda DLC drops tomorrow and gamers are preparing for the arrival of the king of Wakanda himself. It was announced this summer that T’Challa would be voiced by the illustrious Christopher Judge (God of War, 2018), and also that T’Challa was going to bring fans a different kind of story from the folks at Crystal Dynamics.

Gaming, Video Games

Nintendo Indie World Showcase Live Updates!

August 10, 2021August 16, 2021 Jamal Michel

Today Nintendo announced a 20 minute presentation on loads of great indie titles on the Nintendo Switch. The live presentation will take place August 11 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET and The Nerds of Color blog has you covered with live updates here!

Gaming, Video Games1 Comment

Niantic Responds After Players Boycott ‘Pokémon GO’ Ahead of Significant Changes

August 6, 2021August 19, 2021 Jamal Michel

Pokémon GO, the 2016 mobile game phenomenon that spanned the globe, is currently facing a boycott. Thousands of players, and dozens of high-profile POGO influencers, believe developers are ignoring their concerns over significant quality of life changes in-game. Over the last year, Niantic, the developers of Pokémon GO, have been pivoting and adjusting to pandemic constraints with new changes to gameplay mechanics.

Gaming, Interview, Movies1 Comment

Twitch and YouTube Legends Ninja and Jacksepticeye Talk about Their ‘Free Guy’ Cameos

August 4, 2021August 4, 2021 Jamal Michel

It’s a huge day for gaming and movie nerds here at The Nerds of Color blog. With Ryan Reynold’s Free Guy around the corner, the NOC had the immense privilege and super special opportunity to speak with two of the gaming world’s biggest names.

Gaming, Video Games1 Comment

‘Pokémon UNITE’ Reveals First Major Update

August 3, 2021August 3, 2021 Jamal Michel

The Pokémon MOBA on Nintendo Switch, Pokémon UNITE, is set to receive its first and most impactful update since its release. The game’s official Twitter page tweeted yesterday that the update would be rolling out Wednesday, August 4 12AM PDT/ 7:00 UTC, with significant balancing changes at the heart of the update.

Marvel, Video Games

Square Enix Reveals New Outfits for Black Panther in ‘War for Wakanda’

August 2, 2021August 2, 2021 Jamal Michel

T’Challa’s influence as Black Panther can be traced back to his inception in 1966 and since then, he’s made countless appearances in film, television, animated series, and more. Some of his most iconic outfits and costumes come from the Silver and Bronze age of comic books, with memorable suits like the classic all black ensemble with gloves and boots to match featured in 1976’s Jungle Action (Vol. 2) #23.