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Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 4, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
While Warner Bros. have yet to even officially confirm a Shazam film is in development (but it’s almost a given), The Rock has already announced that he’ll be playing Black Adam. Yup. What’s an embargo?? Dwayne Johnson confirmed this on Twitter earlier, adding the hashtag “#antihero” implying that he won’t be a straight-up villain like older incarnations and will stick closer to the recent comics. Shazam has not been cast yet either, but I imagine we’ll start to hear more about the film now that people are being cast. Read more…
Tags: Shazam, Warner Brothers
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 3, 2014 in Videogames 
One of the most ridiculously fun brawlers in recent memory is now on Steam Early Access: Gang Beasts! Recently snatched up by Double Fine in a publishing agreement, this indie game feature four Flubber-like characters beating each other up and tossing them into flames, the abyss, and a meat grinder. It’s all about the silly interactions between the punches and the way the physics react. Trust me, it’s a lot of fun. The game is currently 25% off at $14.99. Check it out! Read more…
Tags: double fine, Gang Beasts
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 3, 2014 in Star Wars 
That is one of the best headlines I’ve ever written. Yes, Miltos Yerolemou, an expert swordsman and the man who played Syrio Forel (Arya’s swordplay mentor) in Game of Thrones, has been cast in Star Wars: Episode VII. It seems he’ll be playing a small part, but you don’t hire an actor who also happens to be a master swordsman, and then not give him a sword (or least least some long, pointy weapon)! We don’t know how recently he was cast, so it’s hard to tell what his (small-ish) part will be, but I’m sure he’ll be great nonetheless. So, is JJ Abrams a bigger fan of Game of Thrones than previously though? Read more…
Tags: Episode VII, Game of Thrones
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 2, 2014 in Cinema 
Yeah, that Escape From New York remake is still rolling around in the depths of Hollywood. Who knows if it’ll ever actually happen, but then a rumor like this pops up and you wonder if this time they’ll make good on their threats. Currently, three actors are being eyed for the part of Snake Plissken, in order: Charlie Hunnam, Jon Bernthal, and Dan Stevens. Yes, Charlie Hunnam is at the top of that list. He’s not a bad actor, but I don’t see him as Snake. I might be okay with Jon Bernthal though. We’ll have to wait and see how this all works out. Read more…
Tags: Escape From New York, John Carpenter
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 2, 2014 in Videogames 
TGS is about to start, and on a pre-show stream, a new trailer for Persona 5 was shown. It features a messy-haired protagonist walking amidst crowds until some sort of fire erupts. There’s some other little details hidden in there as well, like the newspaper headings reading “murdered in their own room […].” Also, that logo is so 70s, and I love it oh so much. Perhaps the most interesting detail is that the game will also be coming out on PS4 the same day as the PS3 version… in 2015. Yup, a little delay there! Read more…
Tags: Atlus, Persona 5
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 1, 2014 in Television 
Every year when Emmy season comes around, the VFX studios drop their behind-the-scenes videos to show their expertise at creating the special effects that enhance the shows we love. Rodeo FX has posted their effects video from Game of Thrones season 4, and it is always neat to see how everything is done. And yes, there are some spoilers for the season, so beware when watching! I’m a little disappointed in the very small amount of dragons, though. Perhaps next season we’ll get some more dragons? I’ve embedded the full video below. Read more…
Tags: Game of Thrones
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 1, 2014 in Videogames 
Firewatch is the first game from new indie developer Campo Santo, and it looks amazing. Granted, the developers aren’t exactly newbies — Sean Vanaman, Jake Rodkin (of Walking Dead game and Idle Thumbs fame), and Olly Moss (popular graphic designer) along with several other talented individuals created the company. Firewatch follows a man named Henry stationed at a watchtower in the Wyoming forests, who keeps in contact with the outside world via radio. Heavy on the story and beautiful visuals, I’m blown away by how good this game looks. I can’t wait to play it next year. Check out the trailer below! Read more…
Tags: Campo Santo, Firewatch, Olly Moss
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 31, 2014 in Animation, Videogames 
Never thought I’d be saying this about Angry Birds Transformers, but this trailer is pretty neat. Spoofing off of the original Transformers cartoon, it features the various birds duking it out all in VHS glory. The audio distortion, the fade-in frames, poor tracking, and fuzzy visuals drag me back to watching classic cartoons on tape as a child. Plus, the theme song says “birds disguised as robots in disguise,” so that’s pretty funny. I wonder if the actual game will be any good? Hopefully! Check out the video below. Read more…
Tags: Angry Birds, Transformers
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 31, 2014 in Television 
Rumors are swirling around, as People Magazine (of all places) is claiming that The Tick live-action TV show will return as an original series on Amazon. Yes, Patrick Warburton and all. The comic’s original creator, Ben Edlund, is also involved. This would be an unexpected get from Amazon, but also very smart. Their attempts to create original shows hasn’t really taken off yet, so using an established property could help them get their footing. Let’s hope this news gets confirmed soon. Read more…
Tags: Amazon, The Tick
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 30, 2014 in Videogames 
Despite some leaks confirming this much, much earlier than intended, Shulk is now officially confirmed for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS. His intro trailer features his swappable Monado Arts that alter his abilities, which he then uses against Bowser, Link, and Marth. He also comes with a swimsuit alternate costume! In related news, Nintendo also announced Xenoblade for the New 3DS, taking advantage of the new system’s upgraded processor. This port of the Wii game will hopefully let more people have a chance to experience it (given how hard it is to find a copy of the Wii game now). It’s definitely a good time to be a Xenoblade fan! Both trailers and more images below. Read more…
Tags: New 3DS, Super Smash Bros., Xenoblade
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 30, 2014 in Videogames 
Nintendo surprised everyone (sort of… well, not really) by revealing two new iterations of their 3DS handhelds yesterday, titled simply New 3DS and New 3DS LL. Almost identical to the existing systems, except with improved 3D capabilities, a faster processor for speedier menus and downloads, ZL and ZR buttons, NFC support for Amiibos, and a new right-side nub for emulating that dual-joystick style you all love so much. While the LL (called the XL in the US) stays mostly the same, the New 3DS opts for a matte styling this time, taking its design cues from the LL. The smaller version also features exchangeable cover-plates so you can customize your system however you’d like! They arrive October 11th in Japan and sometime in 2015 for US and Europe. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, New 3DS, Nintendo
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 29, 2014 in Animation, Cinema 
It’s not coming out until next summer, but when Pete Docter’s INside Out arrives in June, you’ll be seeing Lava before it. James Ford Murphy, the short film’s director, was inspired to create the short by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” Thus, the whole short is told through song. It features a jolly volcano looking for love… over millions of years. It sounds adorable. Check out the clip below, along with the previously-released poster for the short film. Read more…
Tags: Pixar
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 29, 2014 in Dr. Who, Videogames 
Are you one of the zillions of children playing Minecraft on Xbox 360? Maybe your own kids are into it? Well, time to get them into Doctor Who, too, with several new skin packs for the game soon. On the PC version of Minecraft, you can use and create any skin you can imagine, but on the Xbox 360 version, you’re limited to what Microsoft and Mojang offer. This has given rise to many licensed skin packs for the game, like these Doctor Who packs. The skin packs will start in September. Read more…
Tags: Minecraft
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 28, 2014 in Videogames 
One of the reasons why the Xbox One faltered after launch was that many consumers just didn’t want to be forced to buy the new Kinect camera, bundled with every console for $500. Microsoft has since made a Kinect-less version for only $400, which has brought in more gamers (though still not as many as Microsoft wanted, since many have already purchased a PS4). But what about those who bought the system and soon wanted the Kinect after all, perhaps after realizing the confusing UI is best navigated with relatively-reliable voice commands? They will soon be able to purchase a stand-alone Kinect on October 7. Read more…
Tags: Kinect, Microsoft, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 28, 2014 in Videogames 
Nintendo has been slowly releasing more DLC in its games, which would normally be reason to be concerned about getting nickel and dimed. Opinions were split on the three free Mercedes cars (well, karts) that just got released in Mario Kart 8; while getting more content for free was a good thing, the sponsorship had many wary. But the latest Mario Kart 8 DLC announcement should put concerns to rest. There will be two upcoming DLC packs, one in November 2014 and one in May 2015. Each pack will come with three new characters (including Link from Zelda and the Villager & Isabelle from Animal Crossing), eight new courses, and four new vehicles. The courses will be partially based on other Nintendo games like Excitebike, F-Zero, and more. As a bonus, if both packs are purchased, you’ll get eight color variations for both Yoshi and Shy Guy — and you can use them right now if you preorder the packs on Nintendo’s eShop. Read more…
Tags: Mario Kart, Nintendo, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 27, 2014 in Videogames 
The last weird Pokémon crossover we saw was Pokémon Conquest, which mixed the ever-popular critter collector with Nobunaga’s Ambition, a strategy RPG set in feudal Japan. It’s about time for another unexpected mash-up, and this time it’s Pokkén Tournament, a fighting game made by Namco Bandai and overseen by Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada and Soulcalibur producer Masaaki Hoshino. The debut trailer showed Machamp and Lucario (both fighting-type pokémon) fighting each other, with Lucario evolving into Mega Lucario at the end. The announcement confirms hints and leaks from last year’s Tokyo Game Show. Read more…
Tags: Namco Bandai, Nintendo, Pokémon, Tekken
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 27, 2014 in Animation, Comic Books 
In Marvel’s Ultimate universe, Peter Parker has died, and young Miles Morales has taken his place. Strangely, the cartoon Ultimate Spider-Man isn’t based on the Ultimate universe, which means Peter Parker is still the star. But a new dimension-hopping storyline has the classic hero interacting with Spider-Men from other worlds, including the real Ultimate universe. And that means someone is voicing Miles: Donald Glover, formerly of Community. A giant Spider-Man fan, he had previously launched a Twitter campaign to play a live-action Spidey, which doesn’t seem to be happening. But this is a perfect fit, so I’m glad to see Glover finally get a chance to play his hero. Check out the video and see him in action. Read more…
Tags: Marvel, Spider-man
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 26, 2014 in Television 
Shutter Island was enjoyable for what it was, a trippy, semi-horror suspense film from master director Martin Scorsese. Now, HBO is working out a deal with Paramount to adapt the movie into a TV series. Unlike recent films-turned-TV-series like Fargo, this one’s likely to get a name change; Ashecliffe is the tentative title, named after the mental hospital where the movie was set. If things go smoothly, Martin Scorsese will direct the pilot episode (as he did for Boardwalk Empire) and Dennis Lehane (the original novel’s author) will write the pilot’s script. One thing is likely a safe bet: I doubt Leonardo DiCaprio will be part of the show. Read more…
Tags: HBO, Horror, Martin Scorsese, Paramount
Posted by Bob Muir on Aug 26, 2014 in Videogames 
Twitch is a rising star of the internet, allowing gamers to stream their games for everyone to watch. While there were rumors earlier this year that Google was in the process of buying the company, it turns out that they were false. Amazon has officially purchased Twitch for $970 million, which is quite a nice sum. I had a feeling something like this was happening, as Twitch recently attempted to not only change how past streams were stored on the site, but also implement a music copyright system to regulate archived broadcasts. What this means for the average streamer or viewer remains to be seen, but it sounds like business as usual. It seems that Twitch will continue operating independent of Amazon, but I’m sure they’ll have access to more of Amazon’s resources. Hopefully things continue running smoothly! Read more…
Tags: Amazon, Twitch
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 25, 2014 in Uncategorized 
You may know Kunihiko Ikuhara from his various popular shows (Revolutionary Girl Utena, Penguindrum, he directed much of the original Sailor Moon anime), or from his many eccentricities (his cosplay as Sailor Mars). Yesterday, a countdown finished which revealed the official website for his next anime project: Yuri Kuma Arashi. This isn’t really much of a surprise, as this had been assumed and the manga adaption has already begun. Ikuhara will direct, character concepts are by Akiko Morishima, character designs are by Etsuko Sumimoto, and it’ll be produced by Silver Link. Interesting! The site now features several dates listing updates time, so we’ll check back in on September 15th! Read more…
Tags: Kunihiko Ikuhara
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 25, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
A little while ago, a photo leaked out from the upcoming Fantastic Four film set, featuring a model of The Thing — a bust used for choreography and to give the actors something to look at when using green screens. Josh Trank, the director, has now confirmed that yes, that’s Ben Grimm. Sometimes it’s better own leaks and make them your own promotion, even if it is a little late. So: how does Ben look? Not bad! I mean, his classic eyebrows have definitely been subdued a bit, but he doesn’t look too bad. The green lighting makes him look more sickly, but I’d bet in normal lighting he’ll look more brown. Read more…
Tags: Fantastic Four
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 24, 2014 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Everyone seems to want a dancing Groot figurine now. But it’s a little bit of a spoiler to talk about with folks if they haven’t seen the movie, so I’ve put it below the jump, just in case. Suffice to say, it’s adorable. It’s Groot, his head bobbles, and it’s by Funko. Sadly, he doesn’t technically dance — but he’ll still rock some solid head-bobbing. I think fans will still clamor for a “true” dancing figurine eventually in addition to this one. I just won’t understand if Marvel doesn’t have several dancing Groot figures come out. It’s practically free money! Kind of! Read more…
Tags: Guardians of the Galaxy
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 24, 2014 in Television 
Ok, not really, but you get the idea. Pizza Hut in Japan is running a new ad campaign that features four cats running a Pizza Hut. It’s called Pizza Cat, as you might expect. They’re (as you also might expect) terrible at running a Pizza Hut. Set four cats loose in a pizza shop, give them some toys and food, and then film the results. I wonder if people would get the wrong ideas, though, thinking that anytime Pizza Hut messes up, it’s because cats did it. “Excuse me sir, but I found cat hair in my meat lovers pizza.” Whoops. Check out all the hilarious shorts below. Read more…
Tags: cats, Pizza
Posted by Ben Huber on Aug 23, 2014 in Cinema 
New original sci-fi films are always worth a look (like Oblivion), even if they don’t quite end up very good (again, Oblivion). So I’m very interested in director Gabe Ibáñez’s new film Automata, which stars Antonio Banderas as an insurance agent for a robotics corporation who discovers that some robots are gaining what we’d call sentience. It definitely has some unique vibes coming off of it, and I like the variety in robot design: some clunky, some old, some sleek and designed to look like humans. You won’t have to wait long either — surprise! Automata will arrives in theaters and on demand on October 10th. Watch the trailer below. Read more…
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