Latest news with #MatthewWood
Geek Culture
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Star Wars' Matthew Wood Voices Robot H.E.R.B.I.E. In ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps'
H.E.R.B.I.E. is finally getting his moment in the spotlight, and Star Wars fans will likely recognise the voice bringing him to life. Marvel Studios has confirmed that Matthew Wood, best known for voicing General Grievous across various Star Wars projects, will lend his voice to the lovable robot in The Fantastic Four: First Steps . According to director Matt Shakman, production made use of a wooden puppet and a functioning animatronic version of the character to give the cast something real to interact with. Shakman emphasised H.E.R.B.I.E.'s importance to the story, describing him as Reed Richards' 'right hand' and a regular fixture at the family dinner table. His words suggest a role that goes far beyond background comic relief. One moment teased in promotional images even shows H.E.R.B.I.E. assembling a baby crib, hinting at the robot's emotional investment in the team's domestic life as well. Wood's casting comes after months of speculation. Rumours initially suggested Natasha Lyonne might voice the character, but those whispers were put to rest with Empire Magazine's coverage of the film. Lyonne is still in the mix, though her role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps remains under wraps, following her appearance as Byrdie in What If…? Season 3. Joining Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards and Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm, H.E.R.B.I.E. becomes part of a new take on the iconic team. Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn round out the quartet as Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm. The cast also includes Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer, Ralph Ineson as Galactus, and supporting roles for Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, and John Malkovich. Matthew Wood H.E.R.B.I.E.'s inclusion ties back to classic Fantastic Four lore, originally created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1978 as a child-friendly alternative when the Human Torch was unavailable for animation rights. This new film appears to embrace that legacy while giving H.E.R.B.I.E. more agency and emotional nuance than before. Plot specifics remain guarded, but with Galactus and Shalla-Bal set as the primary antagonists, and growing theories that the team may be multiverse refugees from a destroyed dimension, there's potential for real stakes. Whatever the outcome, H.E.R.B.I.E.'s role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks to be both charming and surprisingly emotional, ensuring his place as more than just a mechanical sidekick. The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in cinemas on 25 July 2025. Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she's not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she's probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace .
Geek Tyrant
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
STAR WARS Actor Announced as the Voice of H.E.R.B.I.E. in Marvel's THE FANTASTIC FOUR
The first trailers from The Fantastic Four: First Steps have highlighted the main characters of the film quite nicely, giving us an idea of their story, and what they may be up against. One character we've seen a bit of, but haven't heard much from is the robot helper H.E.R.B.I.E., who we saw helping Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) out in the kitchen, making dinner. Aside from his small robotic noises, we haven't heard him speak yet, and now we know who will be voicing the character, thanks to a report from Empire, who also revealed the awesome new photo of the character, which you can see above. Matthew Wood, a sound editor and voice actor who has worked on multiple Star Wars films and series, has been announced as the voice of H.E.R.B.I.E. in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie. Wood is best known for providing the voice of General Grievous in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith , as well as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Tales of the Empire . He is also the current actor for Bib Fortuna, having played the Twi'lek majordomo in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace , The Mandalorian , Star Wars: The Bad Batch , and The Book of Boba Fett . Everything about this movie just gets me more exited to watch. This is a great addition to the already fantastic cast, and I look forward to hearing more from the robot character.
Digital Trends
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
H.E.R.B.I.E. in Fantastic Four: The First Steps will be voiced by this Star Wars actor
The biggest mystery around The Fantastic Four: The First Steps has been solved, and no, it doesn't concern Robert Downey Jr.'s rumored appearance as Doctor Doom. The identity of H.E.R.B.I.E. has finally been revealed. Sound editor and voice actor Matthew Wood will provide the vocal performance for H.E.R.B.I.E. — Humanoid Experimental Robot B-Type Integrated Electronics. Created by Reed Richards, H.E.R.B.I.E. is an android that serves the Fantastic Four. H.E.R.B.I.E. is more than capable of helping Reed in the lab. Recommended Videos In an interview with Empire, director Matt Shakman teased H.E.R.B.I.E.'s integral role as the fifth member of the four-person team. 'He's absolutely as important and as alive as any other member of the cast,' Shakman said. 'He's sometimes a slightly put-upon robot, but he is definitely a member of the family. He's just so charming and adorable. He is really Reed's right hand in the lab, capable of assisting him on any sort of experiment, always by his side whether in New York City or out in space.' Wood is best known for his work as an Academy Award-nominated sound editor on multiple Star Wars movies, including the sequel trilogy. As a voice actor, Wood famously voiced General Grievous in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. 'He's charming, he's funny — but he also will break your heart,' Shakman said about Wood's performance. EXCLUSIVE 🤖 #TheFantasticFour: First Steps' adorable android H.E.R.B.I.E. is 'as alive as any other member of the cast,' says director Matt Shakman. 'He is definitely a member of the family.' He's brought to life by a combination of remote-control practical FX, puppetry, and… — Empire (@empiremagazine) May 6, 2025 The Fantastic Four: First Steps is Marvel's introduction of the 'First Family' in the MCU. The members include Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Ralph Ineson voices the primary villain, Galactus, while Julia Garner plays Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer. Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles also star. The Fantastic Four: First Steps kicks off Phase Six of the MCU. It will be released in theaters on July 25. Please enable Javascript to view this content
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nashville Predators Sign 2023 First-Round Pick Matthew Wood to Entry-Level Contract
The Nashville Predators have signed forward Matthew Wood, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, to a three-year, entry level contract beginning in the 2024-25 season. Wood's junior season of collegiate hockey came to an end Thursday when the University of Minnesota fell to UMass Amherst in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He is now expected to report to Nashville to join the Predators in the coming days. Wood recorded career highs in goals (17) and points (39) in 39 games for the Golden Gophers, who earned a share of the Big Ten regular-season title in 2024-25. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors after recording 12 multi-point efforts this season and closing out the campaign with points in each of his last five games (5 goals, 1 assist). Wood recorded 101 points (44 goals, 57 assists) in 109 games during his NCAA career. He spent his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Connecticut, where he was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team as a freshman. Before college, Wood posted 98 points (50 goals, 48 assists) in 64 games over two seasons with the BCHL's Victoria Grizzlies from 2020-22. During his final season in Victoria, Wood was named the BCHL Rookie of the Year, recipient of the Brett Hull Trophy as the league's leading scorer and was a BCHL First Team All-Star selection after recording 45 goals and 85 points. Wood – who was born in Lethbridge, Alta., but grew up in Nanaimo, B.C. – represented Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship, where he recorded four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in five games. He also tallied 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in 11 games for Canada en route to a bronze medal finish at the 2023 U-18 World Championship. Wood also won gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with fellow Predators prospect and 2023 first-round pick Tanner Molendyk. Molendyk, who has already signed his entry-level contract, is eligible to turn pro once his season with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers comes to an end.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nashville Predators sign 2023 first-round pick Matthew Wood to three-year contract
The Nashville Predators have signed former first-round pick Matthew Wood to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced on Saturday. Wood was the Predators' selection at No. 15 in the 2023 NHL Draft which was held at Bridgestone Arena. The Lethbridge, Alberta native was enrolled at the University of Connecticut when drafted, then transferred to Minnesota for the 2024-25 season. The Gophers' season ended on Thursday with an overtime loss to UMass, ending Wood's season and opening up the opportunity for him to turn professional. The expectation now is for Wood to report to Nashville to join the team in the coming days. Wood, 20, is a 6-foot-4, 205 pound center with an enticing mix of size and skill. Over 109 NCAA games, he scored 44 goals and 57 assists for the Huskies and Gophers. His shooting and playmaking talent in the middle of the ice should earn him a chance at NHL minutes, though most scouts say his speed and skating need some work. The Predators' other first-round pick in 2023, defenseman Tanner Molendyk, has already signed his entry-level contract. He can turn professional once his season with the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) ends. MORE: Meet Nashville Predators top NHL Draft pick Matthew Wood: Everything to know Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex atjdaugherty@ Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators sign 2023 first-round pick Matthew Wood to 3 year contract
