Monthly Archives: September 2016
The First Ghost in the Shell Teasers Are Here
Paramount Pictures has just dropped FIVE teasers showing off footage from its live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell.
The foreboding teasers culminate in Scarlett Johansson as The Major stumbling across something...sinister. Check them out below:
The official logo for Ghost In The Shell
Based on the Japanese sci-fi franchise sci-fi property, Ghost in the Shell follows the Major (Johansson) a human-cyborg hybrid in charge of the elite task force 'Section 9'. Johansson stars alongside Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano (Battle Royale), who plays the Major's boss Daisuke Aramaki. Pilou Asbæk (Lucy) and Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire) also star. Rupert Sanders is directing Ghost in The Shell, which will hit theaters in the United States on March 31, 2017.
Mark Wahlberg, LeBron James Join Forces For ‘Ballers’
Mark Wahlberg is joining NBA star LeBron James to star in the fantasy basketball camp comedy 'Ballers'.
Wahlberg revealed that he is in talks for a role in the comedy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (via Variety). “
and I are talking about doing a movie together,” the actor said. “It’s actually a great idea. It’s based around the fantasy league, so these guys get to go to one of these fantasy camps, and me and LeBron have a situation.”
Universal and Imagine Entertainment's comedy was originally going to co-star Kevin Hart, though Hart is no longer attached to the project. Entourage creator Doug Ellin is now on board to write the script.
Warner CEO: DC Films Have ‘Room for Improvement’
Despite the negative critical reception garnered by Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes remains optimistic about the future of the DCEU.
During a Q&A with investors (as reported by Variety), Bewkes acknowledged there's "a little room for improvement" when it comes to the creative direction of Warner Bros.' DC films, noting the comic book versions of these characters "have a little more lightness in them than maybe what you saw in those movies, so we’re thinking about that."
However, Bewkes went on to emphasize that they aren't backtracking on any of their plans for Warners' upcoming slate of DC films set to release by 2020, which is now being overseen by DC Entertainment President and CCO Geoff Johns alongside Warner Bros. executive Jon Berg.
The Flash: Season 3 and Arrow: Season 5 Posters
Ahead of The Flash and Arrow's return next month, The CW has released a pair of new posters spotlighting each show's leading hero.
See Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen's crime-fighting alter ego below.
Arrow: Season 5 poster, via The CW
And here's an up-close look at Grant Gustin's Barry Allen sporting The Flash's iconic bright red getup.
The Flash: Season 3 poster, via The CW
ReCore Patch Will Improve Load Times on Xbox One
A patch dedicated to reducing ReCore's load times on Xbox One will be released this week.
As noted on the game's official website, load times for larger areas, however, "may continue to take more time than expected," even after the patch is deployed.
"We want you to know that we’ve been listening closely, and the number one thing you’ve mentioned you’d like to see improvements on is load times," the post says. "We heard you, we appreciate your patience."
Upon its release last week, ReCore's lengthy load times were criticized, as noted in IGN's review, which said the load times often broke up the game's pace.
Blizzard Dropping Battle.net Name, Focusing on Brand
Blizzard Entertainment's online gaming service, long known as battle.net, will now be known simply as Blizzard tech.
According to an update on the World of Warcraft website, the change is in name, and name alone. The core technology behind Battle.net will "continue to serve as the central nervous system for Blizzard games," Blizzard said.
Battle.net has been around for a long time. The original version of the service launched nearly 20 years ago, on November 30, 1996. Over the years, Blizzard said, the name has caused "confusion and inefficiencies," since it doesn't easily convey itself as Blizzard's online service.
Alita: Battle Angel Casts Deadpool Villain
Ed Skrein, who played Ajax in Deadpool, has landed another villainous role in James Cameron's Alita: Battle Angel.
Skrein will play Zapan, a cyborg and one of protagonist Alita's greatest enemies, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Aside from Deadpool, the British actor appeared on Game of Thrones as Daario Naharis before the character was recast for Season 4.
Maze Runner's Rosa Salazar will star as Alita, with Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz reportedly in negotiations to play cybersurgeon Doctor Dyson Ido. Cameron is on board as a producer.
Car Company McLaren Denies Rumors of Apple Purchase
Apple is reportedly in talks to acquire supercar manufacturer McLaren, according to a report from the Financial Times. While McLaren swiftly denied the rumor, Financial Times says it "stands by" its reporting.
According to the report, Apple may be looking to step foot in the automotive business with the aid of McLaren Technology Group. The outlet cites "three people briefed on the negotiations" who claim Apple is interested in either a "strategic investment" or "full takeover" of the company.
However, Jalopnik reached out to McLaren and received the following statement:
Dishonored 2 Community Events Announced for NYC, SF, LA
Bethesda has announced plans to host three separate community events in the United States to provide fans the opportunity to play Dishonored 2 before its release in November.
The first event will be held next week in San Francisco on Wednesday, September 28. The remaining two will take place in Los Angeles and New York City on October 3 and October 10, respectively.
Dishonored 2 fan event invite, via Bethesda
Aquaman/Furious 7 Director on Re-Launching MacGyver
The incredibly busy James Wan's most recent film as a director, The Conjuring 2, came out this summer, and he's currently prepping for his big follow-up, Aquaman. That's on top of all the films he's producing, including Lights Out, Annabelle 2, Insidious: Chapter 4 and more.
But stil, in the middle of all that, Wan -- whose previous credits include everything from Saw to Furious 7 -- found time to direct and executive produce the pilot for CBS's new version of MacGyver, debuting this Friday.
I spoke to Wan about why he wanted to make MacGyver the first TV series he tackled, overcoming the MacGruber-driven jokes about the character, casting Lucas Till (X-Men: First Class) and more.