Lauren Davis, Author at Gizmodo

Stephen Colbert’s Unexpected Cosplay As Bilbo, Legolas, And Gandalf

There is no question that Stephen Colbert is a J.R.R. Tolkien superfan. After all, it’s the reason Peter Jackson gave Colbert a cameo in The Desolation of Smaug. And he’s bidding farewell to Jackson’s Hobbit films by dressing up as the characters. Entertainment Weekly has released these three cover images in honor of the upcoming…

io9 Lauren Davis

Even Rocket And Groot Screw Up In Guardians Of The Galaxy Blooper Reel

When you’re working on a crazy space movie, there are bound to be moments when you break character and just get the giggles. And in the Guardians of the Galaxy blooper reel, it’s not just Ronan the Accuser and Nova Prime who get silly—the CG characters get their turn as well. Really, every time that…

Movies Lauren Davis

Full Trailer For Pixar’s Inside Out Is Even Smarter Than We Expected

We’ve seen a bunch of teaser trailers for Pixar’s emotion-based film Inside Out that have been pretty cute, but the new, full-length trailer shows off that Pixar humor and cleverness we’ve been searching for. Because it doesn’t just go inside a preteen’s mind—it goes inside her mom’s and dad’s brains as well. The foot. We…

Trailers Lauren Davis

If You’ve Only Seen Disney’s Pinocchio, Read This Webcomic Adaptation

While most of us are familiar with the cartoon musical version of Pinocchio, the mischievous puppet started life in Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio. This comic adaptation, by cartoonist KC Green, goes back to the original text, 19th-century Italian jokes and all. Green’s webcomic Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio follows Pinocchio’s adventures from the…

Books & Comics Lauren Davis

Even 50 Years Ago, Toys Weren’t As Gendered As They Are Today

If you look down the bright pink girls’ toy aisle and think to yourself that toys weren’t always broken down so clearly along gender lines, then you’re right. A sociologists has written a fascinating history of how toys have been marketed over the decades and how gender has come into play. Photo by Janet McKnight.…

io9 Lauren Davis

A Wildlife Sanctuary That Floats Out Of The Reach Of Humans

Floating architecture firm Waterstudio imagines these off-shore wildlife sanctuaries that would be accessible only to animals and not to humans. The towering parks would provide a bit of green space that lets humans observe—but only from a distance. Waterstudio’s Sea Tree concept would involve using technology similar to off-shore oil storage rigs to provide a…

io9 Lauren Davis

Watch Hayao Miyazaki Animate The Last Shot From His Final Film

We’re used to seeing animator Hayao Miyazaki’s magic on the screen, but what does it look like when the images are mere pencil on paper? This clip from the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness shows the legendary director working on he’s said is his final feature-length film. Mami Sunada’s documentary, which hits VOD…

Movies Lauren Davis

11 Fan Theories That Are Better Than The Actual Story

Fan theories can be wonderful and strange, but sometimes a fan will come up with an idea that’s even better than the official story. Here are just some of the fan theories that actually make a lot of sense—and would actually improve the stories they come from. Top image via img.ly. The publicity shot on…

io9 Lauren Davis

A Horror-Comedy About Small-Town Cops Who Take Every Supernatural Call

In a town where there are no Slayers and no Winchesters coming to the rescue, Luke and Carl end up responding to every call about monsters, ghosts, and magic. But for these two, there’s something even more terrifying than the slimy creatures of the night. Bundle of Nerves was directed by Ryan Spindell, and it…

io9 Lauren Davis

Naturally, Faith Healing Has Evil Consequences On Constantine

What happens when a snake-handling preacher gets miraculous healing abilities? Well, given that this is Constantine, we know it won’t be anything good. But while John tries to solve the mystery behind the healings, we get a few more hints about Zed’s past. This week’s episode finds us in a Pentecostal church, where a nervous…

Television Lauren Davis

Must-Watch Short About How One Man Changes The History Of The Cold War

After his father dies, Edward races to his childhood home to uncover a secret that has been weighing on his heart for decades: What landed in his family farm in 1960 and how did his father’s reaction to it alter history? Director Josh Tanner’s The Landing has racked up numerous accolades at various film festivals,…

io9 Lauren Davis

Seriously, Fuck Discovery And Its ‘Eaten Alive’ By An Anaconda Show

Last night, the Discovery Channel aired its controversial special Eaten Alive, in which a man tried (and failed) to get a green anaconda to eat him. And while we’re glad that it didn’t get that far, this special was just a bullshit excuse to use fear of these animals for the sake of ratings. We…

Television Lauren Davis

Chris Pratt Cuddles His Raptor Pack Babies In Jurassic World Fanart

Can this be canon, please? We love the idea that Chris Pratt’s character in Jurassic World started interacting with the Velociraptors he studies and let them climb all over him when they were just little terrors. Manuel Unda tweeted the photo manipulation fanart he made for Jurassic World, and now we (almost) want a little…

io9 Lauren Davis

This Week’s TV: Maleficent Teams Up With Ursula And Cruella De Vil

We’ve got a bunch of mid-seasons finales happening this weekend, including a showdown between the Flash and the Reverse-Flash, a Castiel family reunion on Supernatural, and Ra’s Al Ghul’s ultimatum on Arrow. But Once Upon a Time kicks off its cliffhanger with a story shift—and a Disney villain team-up. Monday Scorpion (9 PM, CBS) Sylvester…

Television Lauren Davis

Legend Of Korra Unleashes The Power Of Kuvira’s Death Ray

Operation Beifong is a go! As The Legend of Korra rattles toward its final confrontation, the Beifong family launches a rescue mission that puts them in the heart of Kuvira’s camp—and lets them witness the test of her superweapon. When Lin, Opal, and Bolin arrive on the outskirts of Zaofu, they’re in for a surprise:…

Television Lauren Davis

Mind-Boggling Optical Illusion Graffiti Looks Like It Floats In Mid-Air

Graffiti artist Odeith wanted to make his street art stand out, so he decided to create murals that are also anamorphic illusions. By skewing is images in just the right way and painting “shadows” on the walls and ground, Odeith is able to create designs that look like 3D objects hovering in space. Not all…

io9 Lauren Davis

Now This Is How Indiana Jones Should Have Dealt With The Lost Ark

Granted, hindsight is 20/20, but if Indiana Jones had known what would happen when the Ark of the Covenant was opened, his actions in this comic would have made life much simpler. See, Indy, “It belongs in a museum” is thinking too small. Those mystical artifacts can actually be quite useful in the wrong hands.…

Books & Comics Lauren Davis

Get Ready To Fall For This Scientifically Accurate Love Song

Are you sick of love songs that use scientifically inaccurate metaphors to describe romance? Well, sit down, pop in your ear buds, and listen to these two fellows croon about love in terms of covalent bonds, pH, and genetic mutations. Mitch Moffit and Greg Brown created “The Science Love Song” for AsapSCIENCE, and here are…

io9 Lauren Davis

My Mum Is An Aeroplane Is The Most Charming Cartoon You’ll See All Week

It’s a rare film that can instantly transport you to childhood, but the animated short My Mum is an Aeroplane does just that. As the title suggests, it’s about a boy whose mother is an actual airplane and the adventures she has on an average work day. Yulya Aronova’s film feels like a storybook come…

io9 Lauren Davis

Concept Art Writing Prompt: The Astronaut Lights A Candle

In this week’s Concept Art Writing Prompt, we invite you to spin a story inspired by a simple but mysterious image. Why is this helmeted astronaut holding up a candle? And where are they that the candle remains lit? “Astro” is by artist Buren-Erdene Altankhuyag, and there’s something ominous about it. If this illustration inspires…

io9 Lauren Davis

Lauren Davis

Stephen Colbert’s Unexpected Cosplay As Bilbo, Legolas, And Gandalf

Even Rocket And Groot Screw Up In Guardians Of The Galaxy Blooper Reel

Full Trailer For Pixar’s Inside Out Is Even Smarter Than We Expected

If You’ve Only Seen Disney’s Pinocchio, Read This Webcomic Adaptation

Even 50 Years Ago, Toys Weren’t As Gendered As They Are Today

A Wildlife Sanctuary That Floats Out Of The Reach Of Humans

Watch Hayao Miyazaki Animate The Last Shot From His Final Film

11 Fan Theories That Are Better Than The Actual Story

A Horror-Comedy About Small-Town Cops Who Take Every Supernatural Call

Naturally, Faith Healing Has Evil Consequences On Constantine

Must-Watch Short About How One Man Changes The History Of The Cold War

Seriously, Fuck Discovery And Its ‘Eaten Alive’ By An Anaconda Show

Chris Pratt Cuddles His Raptor Pack Babies In Jurassic World Fanart

This Week’s TV: Maleficent Teams Up With Ursula And Cruella De Vil

Legend Of Korra Unleashes The Power Of Kuvira’s Death Ray

Mind-Boggling Optical Illusion Graffiti Looks Like It Floats In Mid-Air

Now This Is How Indiana Jones Should Have Dealt With The Lost Ark

Get Ready To Fall For This Scientifically Accurate Love Song

My Mum Is An Aeroplane Is The Most Charming Cartoon You’ll See All Week

Concept Art Writing Prompt: The Astronaut Lights A Candle

National Film and Sound Archive of Australia Adds ‘Succulent Chinese Meal’ Guy

Feds Sniffing Around Polymarket After Suspicious Bets

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Don’t Get Too Attached to Any AI App

‘Paradise’ Writer Teases What’s Coming in Season 3 After That Huge Twist

Trump’s New White House App Is Mildly Concerning and Weird for a Lot of Reasons

Bloodsucking Ticks Can Survive Inside Your Home Longer Than You Might Think

The Best New Toys of March 2026

Judge Denies Liking LinkedIn Post Critical of Elon Musk But Reassigns His Cases Anyway

Amazon Slashes 50% Off Keurig K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, Now a Budget Alternative to Breville and Nespresso Espresso Machines

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets