Latest news with #MatthewWood
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 takeaways from Nashville Predators' Future Stars Game
Nashville Predators development camp came to a close Saturday morning in the Future Stars Game at Ford Ice Center in Bellevue. Fans packed the stands to get a glimpse of what the Predators future could look like, and who they could potentially see on the ice this fall. Advertisement It wasn't a traditional game, as there were two 25-minute halves, with 15 minutes of 5-on-5 play, 10 minutes of 4-on-4 play, and a five-man shootout. Goals scored in every segment counted toward the final score. Here are the biggest takeaways from this year's Future Stars Game. Future Stars Game rosters Gold Forwards: Brady Martin, Kalan Lind, Matthew Wood, Viktor Norringer, David Edstrom, Joey Willis, Felix Nilsson, Ryker Lee, Teddy Stiga, Erik Pahlsson. Defense: Viggo Gustafsson, Tanner Molendyk, Jacob Rombach, Tristan Sarsland, Alex Huang. Goalies: Jack Ivankovic, Jakub Milota Blue Forwards: Miguel Marques, Adam Ingram, Cole O'Hara, Aiden Fink, Egor Surin, Ryan Sullivan, Jack Stockfish, Hiroki Gojsic, Austin Roest, Oasiz Wiesblatt. Advertisement Defense: Drew Hockley, Andrew Gibson, Luke Shipley, Cameron Reid, Mac Gadowsky. Goalies: Lawton Zacher, T.J. Semptimphelter. 1. Veterans showed out There is a lot of pressure on prospects playing in their first development camp, wanting to make an good early impression. At the same time, there's pressure on veteran players to prove they're ready to contest for a roster spot and show that they are continuing to progress. Forward Matthew Wood highlighted that effort with a highlight reel goal and an assist. He tried to deke past Mac Gadowsky while entering the zone but hit Gadowsky's skate while trying to pull the puck. Advertisement Luckily, the puck came back to Wood, and he wristed it past Zacher for the goal. Wood played six games with Predators last season after finishing up his final college season at Minnesota. As one of the leaders at the development camp, we could see more of him in Nashville. Defenseman Andrew Gibson had two goals, one in 4-on-4 play and the other in the shootout. Mixed with his strong defensive performance, he could be an offensively minded blue-liner that the Predators are looking for. The Detroit Red Wings 2023 third-round draft pick, who was traded to the Predators in June 2024, just finished his fourth and final season in the OHL. 2. Ryker Lee, Cole O'Hara pack an offensive punch The Predators, traditionally, aren't known for having the flashiest players in the world. General manager Barry Trotz's mindset has been focused on size and strength. Advertisement However, Ryker Lee and Cole O'Hara could change that. The pair of forwards were extremely active in the game. Lee had a ton of chances and a shootout goal where he essentially threw a change up at TJ Semptimphelter, faking a wrist shot and a leg pump to go bardown on him. Lee dazzled in the USHL this year, scoring 68 points in 58 games. He's headed to Michigan State this fall, which will only further strengthen his game. Lee's skill set could be even sharper come next year's development camp. O'Hara, who's another veteran of the development camp, had a shootout goal, an assist and the most impressive goal of the day. He caught a pass from Egor Surin, who was along the boards, pulled the puck in between his legs and went bar down on Jack Ivankovic. Advertisement The Predators 2022 fourth-round pick played two games in Milwaukee after scoring 51 points with UMass Amherst. A full pro season, whether that be in Milwaukee or Nashville, should say a lot about O'Hara's pro skillset and his overall potential. 3. TJ Semptimphelter had a shutout in scrimmage ASU Sun Devils goalie TJ Semptimphelter (35) protects the net against the Augustana Vikings at Mullett Arena in Tempe on Jan. 19, 2024. Considering all the scoring that occurred later in the game and the fact that TJ Semptimphelter started the game, it was notable that he had a shutout before in the 5-on-5 and 4-on-4 segments he played. While he ended up letting in two goals in the shootout, with Gold still maintaining a 3-2 lead after that segment, he was the only netminder to not suffice a goal in live action. Advertisement Semptimphelter was one of the two goalies invited to the development camp but not drafted by the team. He just completed his final college season at North Dakota, where he played 31 games, posting an 18-11-2 record, a save percentage of .910, and a goals-against average of 2.64. Semptimphelter made his pro debut with the Bridgeport Islanders, which was a little rougher, allowing four goals on 22 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Goalie development takes some time, but Semptimphelter showed the most promise out of the goalies.
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.
