Joker star Zazie Beetz recently debated whether or not there should be a sequel to Todd Phillips' billion-dollar blockbuster. Speaking to MTV on the Oscars red carpet, Beetz, who played Arthur Fleck's neighbour Sophie Dumond in the Oscar-winning film, said she wasn't sure if there should be a Joker 2, even though she's confident Phillips would approach it "tastefully." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/04/joker-ending-explained"] "I don't know if it needs one,” Beetz admitted. "There is a lot of strength in not milking something. Honestly, I feel like Todd would be the person to [make a sequel] tastefully. If he felt it needed one. I really trust him. He's really creative and smart. So sure." Buzz for a potential sequel first emerged when Phillips said he would do anything that actor Joaquin Phoenix was signed on for. After everybody screamed "sequel", the director clarified his comments and shutdown sequel rumours, saying the original Joker was always pitched as one movie. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-joker-comics-to-read-after-watching-the-movie&captions=true"] However, while Phoenix was on the Joker press tour in October of last year, he cranked up the rumour mill once more, as he revealed that he and Phillips had talked about potentially continuing the story of Joker while on the set of the original movie. Towards the end of 2019, the director of the dark comic adaptation re-confirmed that no Joker sequel was in the works, but said he thought Warner Bros. had been giving him time to consider the best approach. However, he also acknowledged a desire from some of the audience not to see a sequel. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-history-of-comic-book-movies-at-the-oscars&captions=true"] In the meantime, Joker has been enjoying success on the awards circuit. The film recently earned 11 nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. At the Oscars ceremony, Phoenix took home the award for Best Actor while Hildur Guðnadóttir picked up Best Original Score for the music she composed for the film. Phoenix and Guðnadóttir also scored prizes at the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards this season. Recent wins aside, check out our thoughts on why Joker was never going to win Best Picture at the Oscars.  [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Joker star Zazie Beetz recently debated whether or not there should be a sequel to Todd Phillips' billion-dollar blockbuster. Speaking to MTV on the Oscars red carpet, Beetz, who played Arthur Fleck's neighbour Sophie Dumond in the Oscar-winning film, said she wasn't sure if there should be a Joker 2, even though she's confident Phillips would approach it "tastefully." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/04/joker-ending-explained"] "I don't know if it needs one,” Beetz admitted. "There is a lot of strength in not milking something. Honestly, I feel like Todd would be the person to [make a sequel] tastefully. If he felt it needed one. I really trust him. He's really creative and smart. So sure." Buzz for a potential sequel first emerged when Phillips said he would do anything that actor Joaquin Phoenix was signed on for. After everybody screamed "sequel", the director clarified his comments and shutdown sequel rumours, saying the original Joker was always pitched as one movie. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-joker-comics-to-read-after-watching-the-movie&captions=true"] However, while Phoenix was on the Joker press tour in October of last year, he cranked up the rumour mill once more, as he revealed that he and Phillips had talked about potentially continuing the story of Joker while on the set of the original movie. Towards the end of 2019, the director of the dark comic adaptation re-confirmed that no Joker sequel was in the works, but said he thought Warner Bros. had been giving him time to consider the best approach. However, he also acknowledged a desire from some of the audience not to see a sequel. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-history-of-comic-book-movies-at-the-oscars&captions=true"] In the meantime, Joker has been enjoying success on the awards circuit. The film recently earned 11 nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. At the Oscars ceremony, Phoenix took home the award for Best Actor while Hildur Guðnadóttir picked up Best Original Score for the music she composed for the film. Phoenix and Guðnadóttir also scored prizes at the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards this season. Recent wins aside, check out our thoughts on why Joker was never going to win Best Picture at the Oscars.  [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Netflix has revealed the official trailer for Season 2 of its mind-bending cyberpunk series, Altered Carbon, which is set to premiere on Thursday, February 27, 2020. In Season 2, Avengers: Endgame star Anthony Mackie will portray Takeshi Kovacs, replacing Season 1's Joel Kinnaman in the leading role. For a glimpse at what's to come in Altered Carbon Season 2, check out the trailer below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/11/altered-carbon-season-2-official-trailer-2020-anthony-mackie-simone-missick"] Netflix says Altered Carbon Season 2 begins "30 years after the conclusion of Season 1, and finds Takeshi Kovacs (Anthony Mackie), the lone surviving soldier of a group of elite interstellar warriors, continuing his centuries-old quest to find his lost love Quellcrist Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry). After decades of planet-hopping and searching the galaxy, Kovacs is recruited back to his home planet of Harlan’s World with the promise of finding Quell. Haunted by his past and responsible for investigating a series of brutal murders, Kovacs is stunned to discover his new mission to solve the crime and his pursuit to find Quell are one and the same. With the help of his loyal A.I. Poe (Chris Conner), Kovacs must now partner with new allies to outwit his enemies and find the truth: Who is Quellcrist Falconer?" One of the biggest WTF moments from the trailer is the reveal of Will Yun Lee wearing Takeshi Kovacs' birth sleeve. Sure, we've seen Lee's portrayal of Kovacs during flashbacks in Season 1, but what's he doing talking to the present-day Kovacs played by Anthony Mackie? It's possible that Lee's Kovacs is in Season 2 due to a process called "double sleeving," which happens when there are duplicate cortical stacks of the same person placed in separate sleeves. It's very, very illegal, and can't possibly end well. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=altered-carbon-season-2-gallery&captions=true"] For more on Netflix, check out everything else coming to the streamer in February, our reviews of the first seasons of Ragnarok and Locke & Key, plus find out how Netflix fared at the Oscars. [poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

Netflix has revealed the official trailer for Season 2 of its mind-bending cyberpunk series, Altered Carbon, which is set to premiere on Thursday, February 27, 2020. In Season 2, Avengers: Endgame star Anthony Mackie will portray Takeshi Kovacs, replacing Season 1's Joel Kinnaman in the leading role. For a glimpse at what's to come in Altered Carbon Season 2, check out the trailer below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/11/altered-carbon-season-2-official-trailer-2020-anthony-mackie-simone-missick"] Netflix says Altered Carbon Season 2 begins "30 years after the conclusion of Season 1, and finds Takeshi Kovacs (Anthony Mackie), the lone surviving soldier of a group of elite interstellar warriors, continuing his centuries-old quest to find his lost love Quellcrist Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry). After decades of planet-hopping and searching the galaxy, Kovacs is recruited back to his home planet of Harlan’s World with the promise of finding Quell. Haunted by his past and responsible for investigating a series of brutal murders, Kovacs is stunned to discover his new mission to solve the crime and his pursuit to find Quell are one and the same. With the help of his loyal A.I. Poe (Chris Conner), Kovacs must now partner with new allies to outwit his enemies and find the truth: Who is Quellcrist Falconer?" One of the biggest WTF moments from the trailer is the reveal of Will Yun Lee wearing Takeshi Kovacs' birth sleeve. Sure, we've seen Lee's portrayal of Kovacs during flashbacks in Season 1, but what's he doing talking to the present-day Kovacs played by Anthony Mackie? It's possible that Lee's Kovacs is in Season 2 due to a process called "double sleeving," which happens when there are duplicate cortical stacks of the same person placed in separate sleeves. It's very, very illegal, and can't possibly end well. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=altered-carbon-season-2-gallery&captions=true"] For more on Netflix, check out everything else coming to the streamer in February, our reviews of the first seasons of Ragnarok and Locke & Key, plus find out how Netflix fared at the Oscars. [poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

A brand new trailer for Square Enix's Outriders has revealed that it will be launching Holiday 2020 for not just Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, but also for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Outriders' newest trailer, which you can see below, shows more of the 1-3 player drop-in-drop-out co-op third-person shooter that takes place on the ruined world of Enoch. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/11/outriders-gameplay-reveal-trailer-4k"] Glimpses of new characters, aliens/monsters, and weapons are shown alongside the words "Leave Humanity Behind." Developed by Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment's People Can Fly, the gameplay looks to mix both gunplay and magic and appears to feature a player perspective similar to the Gears of War franchise. Outriders was unveiled at E3 2019 with a Summer 2020 launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. So, while the date was pushed a bit, we now know that it will be released around or possibly as a launch title for the new next-gen consoles from both Sony and Microsoft. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-big-games-coming-in-2020&captions=true"] IGN had hands-on time with Outriders and we will be sharing our impressions of Square Enix's newest shooter this Thursday, February 13. Outriders was included on our list of the 36 Biggest Games Confirmed for 2020 which also includes Final Fantasy VII Remake, Cyberpunk 2077, Halo Infinite, and The Last of Us Part II. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

A brand new trailer for Square Enix's Outriders has revealed that it will be launching Holiday 2020 for not just Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, but also for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Outriders' newest trailer, which you can see below, shows more of the 1-3 player drop-in-drop-out co-op third-person shooter that takes place on the ruined world of Enoch. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/11/outriders-gameplay-reveal-trailer-4k"] Glimpses of new characters, aliens/monsters, and weapons are shown alongside the words "Leave Humanity Behind." Developed by Bulletstorm and Gears of War: Judgment's People Can Fly, the gameplay looks to mix both gunplay and magic and appears to feature a player perspective similar to the Gears of War franchise. Outriders was unveiled at E3 2019 with a Summer 2020 launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. So, while the date was pushed a bit, we now know that it will be released around or possibly as a launch title for the new next-gen consoles from both Sony and Microsoft. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-big-games-coming-in-2020&captions=true"] IGN had hands-on time with Outriders and we will be sharing our impressions of Square Enix's newest shooter this Thursday, February 13. Outriders was included on our list of the 36 Biggest Games Confirmed for 2020 which also includes Final Fantasy VII Remake, Cyberpunk 2077, Halo Infinite, and The Last of Us Part II. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Naughty Dog has revealed new The Last of Us Part 2 collectible concept art, another Ellie statuette, and a PS4 dynamic theme that you can download right now - not to mention announcing the game's first public hands-on.

First off, the new concept art is said to explore the two sides of Ellie's journey throughout the game. As Naughty Dog puts it, "from the relative peace she’s found when the story begins to the relentless pursuit of vengeance that follows." You can download this concept art as wallpaper for any of your devices.

If you're into dynamic themes then there's now a The Last of Us Part 2 one available for PS4. It transitions from day to night based on your PS4's clock and is available for free on the PlayStation Store. You just need to enter the code that corresponds to your region (note that the codes expire on February 11, 2021).

Americas: 4FMP-BBNM-J5L3

Europe/AU/NZ/Russia/Middle East/Africa/India: 9DEK-PKNG-N445

If you want something more physical, you could always order the new art prints which will soon be available at Cook & Becker. Naughty Dog says these new prints are different to the ones that were released last year, so keep an eye out for those.

The other physical option is to pre-order the second The Last of Us Part 2 statuette that has been produced with Dark Horse. The first one had Ellie with a bow and arrow, but this second one makes her look much more vicious as she's angrily wielding a machete.

This statuette is having a limited production based on the number of pre-orders Dark Horse receives before March 13, 2020. So if you want one you'll need to order it before that date. Bear in mind that you can't order more than two per person.

The final announcement today is that the first-ever public demo of The Last of Us Part 2 will be available to play at PAX East 2020. "From 27th February until 1st March, attendees will have an opportunity to play “Patrol”, featuring an early area of the game where Ellie and Dina must venture out of Jackson into the surrounding areas to clear out infected," Naughty Dog said.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/26/our-the-last-of-us-part-2-hands-on-impressions-deep-dive-beyond-episode-608"]

The demo is said to have an hour of gameplay altogether and will "provide just a small glimpse into what awaits you in the full game." This is the demo that we got to play last year so head over and read our The Last of Us Part 2 impressions to get an idea of what you'll experience, unless you want to avoid spoilers, of course.

IGN Game Scoop at PAX East

As if you needed another excuse to visit Boston at the end of the month, we'll be there doing a live recording of Game Scoop on Saturday, February 29 at 7:30 pm in the Dragonfly Theater. We'll also be out and about on the floor, and will most certainly be looking to talk to you about The Last of Us Part II, so if you're going to be there and you see one of us, make sure to say "hi!"

The Last of Us Part II is due to come out for PS4 on May 29, 2020. Among many changes to the first game are dogs, which are much harder to kill than humans, it turns out.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Naughty Dog has revealed new The Last of Us Part 2 collectible concept art, another Ellie statuette, and a PS4 dynamic theme that you can download right now - not to mention announcing the game's first public hands-on.

First off, the new concept art is said to explore the two sides of Ellie's journey throughout the game. As Naughty Dog puts it, "from the relative peace she’s found when the story begins to the relentless pursuit of vengeance that follows." You can download this concept art as wallpaper for any of your devices.

If you're into dynamic themes then there's now a The Last of Us Part 2 one available for PS4. It transitions from day to night based on your PS4's clock and is available for free on the PlayStation Store. You just need to enter the code that corresponds to your region (note that the codes expire on February 11, 2021).

Americas: 4FMP-BBNM-J5L3

Europe/AU/NZ/Russia/Middle East/Africa/India: 9DEK-PKNG-N445

If you want something more physical, you could always order the new art prints which will soon be available at Cook & Becker. Naughty Dog says these new prints are different to the ones that were released last year, so keep an eye out for those.

The other physical option is to pre-order the second The Last of Us Part 2 statuette that has been produced with Dark Horse. The first one had Ellie with a bow and arrow, but this second one makes her look much more vicious as she's angrily wielding a machete.

This statuette is having a limited production based on the number of pre-orders Dark Horse receives before March 13, 2020. So if you want one you'll need to order it before that date. Bear in mind that you can't order more than two per person.

The final announcement today is that the first-ever public demo of The Last of Us Part 2 will be available to play at PAX East 2020. "From 27th February until 1st March, attendees will have an opportunity to play “Patrol”, featuring an early area of the game where Ellie and Dina must venture out of Jackson into the surrounding areas to clear out infected," Naughty Dog said.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/26/our-the-last-of-us-part-2-hands-on-impressions-deep-dive-beyond-episode-608"]

The demo is said to have an hour of gameplay altogether and will "provide just a small glimpse into what awaits you in the full game." This is the demo that we got to play last year so head over and read our The Last of Us Part 2 impressions to get an idea of what you'll experience, unless you want to avoid spoilers, of course.

IGN Game Scoop at PAX East

As if you needed another excuse to visit Boston at the end of the month, we'll be there doing a live recording of Game Scoop on Saturday, February 29 at 7:30 pm in the Dragonfly Theater. We'll also be out and about on the floor, and will most certainly be looking to talk to you about The Last of Us Part II, so if you're going to be there and you see one of us, make sure to say "hi!"

The Last of Us Part II is due to come out for PS4 on May 29, 2020. Among many changes to the first game are dogs, which are much harder to kill than humans, it turns out.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

2K Games has officially announced the name of 2K Silicon Valley, a development studio founded in 2019 by ex-Sledgehammer Games co-founder Michael Condrey. Going forward it will be called 31st Union, and the studio is already working on a new IP. “31st Union is off to an incredible start with a passionate and talented team, and intentioned culture that champions inclusivity and greater representation, an ambitious and inspired new IP that we’re extremely excited about,” said Condrey in a statement. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-big-games-coming-in-2020&captions=true"] 31st Union is working on a single new IP, though details haven’t been revealed. Furthermore, the studio has announced plans to expand to a second European location in Spain. “We believe diverse perspectives and experiences are crucial to creating a truly global entertainment experience with a deep connection to passionate fans,” added Condrey. The studio joins other development teams under the 2K brand including the recently announced Cloud Chamber which has locations in California and Canada. Other 2K teams with an international presence include Hangar 13 which now operates a third location in Brighton, UK, as well as Visual Concepts. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/11/08/call-of-duty-ww2-review"] 2K Games has a growing stable of studios working on projects that are both announced and unannounced. As previously mentioned, Cloud Chamber is working on a new BioShock, but the team says it will be several years before development is complete. Likewise, 31st Union is working on an unnamed IP, while Visual Concepts has worked on the studio’s 2K Sports games. Hangar 13 is also reportedly working on a new IP. It could be several years before we see any of the new projects currently in development. But IGN will have the latest coverage for every announced project. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

2K Games has officially announced the name of 2K Silicon Valley, a development studio founded in 2019 by ex-Sledgehammer Games co-founder Michael Condrey. Going forward it will be called 31st Union, and the studio is already working on a new IP. “31st Union is off to an incredible start with a passionate and talented team, and intentioned culture that champions inclusivity and greater representation, an ambitious and inspired new IP that we’re extremely excited about,” said Condrey in a statement. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-big-games-coming-in-2020&captions=true"] 31st Union is working on a single new IP, though details haven’t been revealed. Furthermore, the studio has announced plans to expand to a second European location in Spain. “We believe diverse perspectives and experiences are crucial to creating a truly global entertainment experience with a deep connection to passionate fans,” added Condrey. The studio joins other development teams under the 2K brand including the recently announced Cloud Chamber which has locations in California and Canada. Other 2K teams with an international presence include Hangar 13 which now operates a third location in Brighton, UK, as well as Visual Concepts. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/11/08/call-of-duty-ww2-review"] 2K Games has a growing stable of studios working on projects that are both announced and unannounced. As previously mentioned, Cloud Chamber is working on a new BioShock, but the team says it will be several years before development is complete. Likewise, 31st Union is working on an unnamed IP, while Visual Concepts has worked on the studio’s 2K Sports games. Hangar 13 is also reportedly working on a new IP. It could be several years before we see any of the new projects currently in development. But IGN will have the latest coverage for every announced project. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.