Monthly Archives: March 2020

Spiral: From the Book of Saw Release Postponed Due to Coronavirus

Lionsgate has indefinitely postponed the release of Spiral: From the Book of Saw, which was due out May 15, amid ongoing concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19). Variety reports that the studio has also pushed back the release of Janelle Monae's Antebellum, which was slated to open April 24, and Sarah Paulson's Run, which was due out May 8. A new release schedule for these three titles will be shared at a later date. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/05/spiral-from-the-book-of-saw-official-trailer"] Lionsgate recently confirmed the announcement on Twitter, writing, "With theaters across the country closed, Lionsgate will be moving our upcoming releases of Antebellum, Run and Spiral. We look forward to having audiences experience our movies when this challenging moment is behind us. In the meantime, everyone please stay safe." The original seven Saw films were released between 2004 and 2010, and were followed seven years later by Jigsaw, which continued the horror franchise's story. Chris Rock's reboot, however, is expected to take the series in a new direction, with "a sprinkling of humour" and a cast comprised of Samuel L. Jackson, Marisol Nichols and Max Minghella. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] This release joins a growing list of movie and TV productions affected by COVID-19, including Universal's Fast 9, which will now be released in April 2021, almost a year later than originally planned, MGM's No Time to Die, which will now be released in November 2020, and Paramount's A Quiet Place: Part II, which currently does not have a new release date set. For more on how COVID-19 could affect the film industry, head here. More importantly, take a look at our list of recommendations to help, and stay safe, during the Coronavirus pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Tales From the Borderlands Redux Leak Seems to Tease Sequel

Two short video clips of what is reportedly a trailer for a Tales From The Borderlands re-release with added content has been posted online. The videos also tease a sequel to the Telltale episodic adventure series. First surfacing on Reddit, the two clips are videos of a trailer playing on a monitor. The clips fit together to make the whole trailer (both are under a minute as they are hosted on Imgur, which only allows videos of up to 60 seconds), which reveals a game called Tales From The Borderlands Redux. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/10/20/tales-from-the-borderlands-episode-5-the-vault-of-the-traveler-review"] If real, Redux will apparently include developer commentary for each episode, codex entries, new concept art, unused content from the original release, and a new “mini” episode. The trailer does say how many minutes of extra gameplay this episode will provide, but the framing of the shot cuts the digits out of frame. The trailer concludes on a 2020 date, which then flickers into a single digit - 2 - which could be seen as a teaser for a sequel or second season of Tales From The Borderlands. The studio logos at the start of the trailer include Telltale, 2K, Gearbox and, most interestingly, Adhoc Studio, a developer set up by ex-Telltale Games staff after the company originally shut down. Adhoc previously hinted that it would be working on a live-action project akin to Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch interactive episode, but if this leak proves true it also looks like it has been working with new Telltale to create Redux. Pierre Shorette, Adhoc Studio’s CCO, was senior lead writer for Tales From The Borderlands, so there is a link. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-borderlands-review&captions=true"] This trailer is the latest in a series of rumours that Telltale is looking to bring back Tales From The Borderlands, but the first one to provide any video evidence. No official confirmation from any of the studios reportedly involved has been announced, so for now this continues to be a rumour rather than definite project. As for that teased sequel, Borderlands 3 writer Sam Winkler has said that he’d love to write a second season of Tales From The Borderlands. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter

Hulu Releases Little Fires Everywhere Early

Hulu has released the first three episodes of its new eight-part limited series Little Fires Everywhere slightly earlier than intended, as more viewers become marooned at home in the wake of the response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Hulu confirmed the news via Twitter. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/02/the-new-tv-shows-we-cant-wait-for-in-2020"] Set in 1990s Ohio and based on Celeste Ng’s bestselling 2017 novel of the same name, Little Fires Everywhere stars Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. New episodes of Little Fires Everywhere will stream each Wednesday on Hulu. While the spread of COVID-19 has resulted in a considerable amount of upheaval within the entertainment industry, more importantly there are number of things you can do to stay safe during this pandemic. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=tv-shows-to-watch-in-2020&captions=true"]

George RR Martin Says He’s Safe, Healthy & Writing The Winds of Winter

Author George RR Martin gave fans an update on how things are coming along with writing The Winds of Winter, the next book in his hit fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire that inspired the juggernaut TV series Game of Thrones. After sharing details on what will be happening with his various businesses and events in light of the coronavirus pandemic in a blog post titled “Strange Days,” Martin assured fans that he’s taking all appropriate measures to ensure he remains safe and healthy. “For those of you who may be concerned for me personally… yes, I am aware that I am very much in the most vulnerable population, given my age and physical condition,” Martin wrote. The author is age 71. The CDC says that older adults are especially at risk because the virus has a higher chance of affecting them in a serious way. “But I feel fine at the moment, and we are taking all sensible precautions. I am off by myself in a remote isolated location, attended by one of my staff, and I’m not going in to town or seeing anyone.” Martin shared that in his isolation he’s been able to consistently spend time working on the next novel in the Song of Ice and Fire saga. “Truth be told, I am spending more time in Westeros than in the real world, writing every day. Things are pretty grim in the Seven Kingdoms… but maybe not as grim as they may become here,” he wrote. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=how-game-of-thrones-main-characters-looks-have-changed-over-the-seasons&captions=true"] Martin also informed fans that his interactive art exhibit Meow Wolf, local movie theater Jean Cocteau Cinema, and non-profit arts class the Stagecoach Foundation (all located in Santa Fe, New Mexico) will all be closed until further notice. His bookstore Beastly Books will remain open for the time being with new health and safety practices implemented. The previous novel in Martin’s hit series, A Dance with Dragons, was published in 2011, so fans have been waiting a long time for the release of The Winds of Winter, and there is one more planned novel still to be written and released after that, A Dream of Spring. To finish off his blog post, Martin shared a hand-washing guide set to a quote from Frank Herbert's Dune. fear-the-mindkiller-handwashing-1070x1536-1 Check out IGN’s safety guide for COVID-19 here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

George RR Martin Says He’s Safe, Healthy & Writing The Winds of Winter

Author George RR Martin gave fans an update on how things are coming along with writing The Winds of Winter, the next book in his hit fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire that inspired the juggernaut TV series Game of Thrones. After sharing details on what will be happening with his various businesses and events in light of the coronavirus pandemic in a blog post titled “Strange Days,” Martin assured fans that he’s taking all appropriate measures to ensure he remains safe and healthy. “For those of you who may be concerned for me personally… yes, I am aware that I am very much in the most vulnerable population, given my age and physical condition,” Martin wrote. The author is age 71. The CDC says that older adults are especially at risk because the virus has a higher chance of affecting them in a serious way. “But I feel fine at the moment, and we are taking all sensible precautions. I am off by myself in a remote isolated location, attended by one of my staff, and I’m not going in to town or seeing anyone.” Martin shared that in his isolation he’s been able to consistently spend time working on the next novel in the Song of Ice and Fire saga. “Truth be told, I am spending more time in Westeros than in the real world, writing every day. Things are pretty grim in the Seven Kingdoms… but maybe not as grim as they may become here,” he wrote. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=how-game-of-thrones-main-characters-looks-have-changed-over-the-seasons&captions=true"] Martin also informed fans that his interactive art exhibit Meow Wolf, local movie theater Jean Cocteau Cinema, and non-profit arts class the Stagecoach Foundation (all located in Santa Fe, New Mexico) will all be closed until further notice. His bookstore Beastly Books will remain open for the time being with new health and safety practices implemented. The previous novel in Martin’s hit series, A Dance with Dragons, was published in 2011, so fans have been waiting a long time for the release of The Winds of Winter, and there is one more planned novel still to be written and released after that, A Dream of Spring. To finish off his blog post, Martin shared a hand-washing guide set to a quote from Frank Herbert's Dune. fear-the-mindkiller-handwashing-1070x1536-1 Check out IGN’s safety guide for COVID-19 here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

Marvel Fan Spoofs The Rise of Skywalker With ‘Avengers IX’ Opening Crawl

With Star Wars having concluded the Skywalker Saga with Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, one Marvel fan decided to have some fun imagining what the distant future of the Avengers might look like when that franchise reaches its ninth installment. Reddit user DeLarge93 shared an image to the r/marvelstudios subreddit showing the would-be opening crawl for Avengers: Episode IX - Annihilation. Using the structure of the opening crawl for The Rise of Skywalker, it paints the picture of an MCU future where Rocket Raccoon has heard a mysterious broadcast alluding to the return of Thanos, retired Avenger Sam Wilson is working with the Skrulls to gather intel on the Mad Titan’s return, Captain Marvel (the last hope of the Avengers) is training to defeat the Children of Thanos, and Galactus is on the hunt for Thanos to destroy this threat to his power. avengers annihilation The “Annihilation” subtitle refers a Marvel Comics event storyline where the villain Annihilus leads his insect horde known as the Annihilation Wave from the Negative Zone into the Marvel Universe to wage war against Marvel’s mightiest heroes. Many fans guessed that Annihilation would be the subtitle to the fourth Avengers movie before we found out it was Endgame. Sam Wilson and Carol Danvers become a couple in the comics, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that they would still be around and working together to help protect the universe even in their later years. Thanos has been defeated (and even killed) only to return again and again in the comics, so who’s to say that he couldn’t come back in the MCU? If the Emperor can do it, surely he can, too! Galactus is a Fantastic Four antagonist that fans are eagerly anticipating, as the Devourer of Worlds is an iconic Marvel character whose arrival brings about a planet-wide threat. It’s interesting to pit him against Thanos because Galactus is more of a force of nature that naturally balances out the universe by consuming entire planets, acting as the biggest fish on the universal food chain. Whereas Thanos tried to impose his own twisted sense of balance on the universe by killing off half of all life. Hearing these two debate what’s best for the universe would certainly make for an enthralling conversation. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"] Many commenters got in on the fun imagining how Star Wars could inform what eventually happens in the Avengers saga. Striker_2603 joked: Who are you? I’m Carol. Carol who? Carol Stark Rogers Flamma_Man posited: Does...does this mean that Carol Danvers and Galactus will make out for no discernible reason? What do you think of this fan’s thoughts on what the future of the MCU might hold? Let us know in the comments. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

Marvel Fan Spoofs The Rise of Skywalker With ‘Avengers IX’ Opening Crawl

With Star Wars having concluded the Skywalker Saga with Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, one Marvel fan decided to have some fun imagining what the distant future of the Avengers might look like when that franchise reaches its ninth installment. Reddit user DeLarge93 shared an image to the r/marvelstudios subreddit showing the would-be opening crawl for Avengers: Episode IX - Annihilation. Using the structure of the opening crawl for The Rise of Skywalker, it paints the picture of an MCU future where Rocket Raccoon has heard a mysterious broadcast alluding to the return of Thanos, retired Avenger Sam Wilson is working with the Skrulls to gather intel on the Mad Titan’s return, Captain Marvel (the last hope of the Avengers) is training to defeat the Children of Thanos, and Galactus is on the hunt for Thanos to destroy this threat to his power. avengers annihilation The “Annihilation” subtitle refers a Marvel Comics event storyline where the villain Annihilus leads his insect horde known as the Annihilation Wave from the Negative Zone into the Marvel Universe to wage war against Marvel’s mightiest heroes. Many fans guessed that Annihilation would be the subtitle to the fourth Avengers movie before we found out it was Endgame. Sam Wilson and Carol Danvers become a couple in the comics, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that they would still be around and working together to help protect the universe even in their later years. Thanos has been defeated (and even killed) only to return again and again in the comics, so who’s to say that he couldn’t come back in the MCU? If the Emperor can do it, surely he can, too! Galactus is a Fantastic Four antagonist that fans are eagerly anticipating, as the Devourer of Worlds is an iconic Marvel character whose arrival brings about a planet-wide threat. It’s interesting to pit him against Thanos because Galactus is more of a force of nature that naturally balances out the universe by consuming entire planets, acting as the biggest fish on the universal food chain. Whereas Thanos tried to impose his own twisted sense of balance on the universe by killing off half of all life. Hearing these two debate what’s best for the universe would certainly make for an enthralling conversation. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"] Many commenters got in on the fun imagining how Star Wars could inform what eventually happens in the Avengers saga. Striker_2603 joked: Who are you? I’m Carol. Carol who? Carol Stark Rogers Flamma_Man posited: Does...does this mean that Carol Danvers and Galactus will make out for no discernible reason? What do you think of this fan’s thoughts on what the future of the MCU might hold? Let us know in the comments. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

GameStop Cancels Animal Crossing and Doom Midnight Launches

GameStop has announced plans to cancel the midnight launch for Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Doom Eternal this Friday due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

In a statement from GameStop senior vice president of store operations Gary Riding, the company announced several procedures for GameStop locations meant to curb close contact, including canceling midnight launches. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-animal-crossing-game-review&captions=true"] “Like many businesses, we are taking action to institute multiple social distancing practices in our stores such as only allowing 10 customers in our stores at any given time, canceling all gaming events and midnight launch activities until further notice, disabling temporarily all interactive gaming stations in our stores, introducing in-store line management practices that creates a 1-meter parameter between customers in checkout lines, and encouraging customers to several our online ecommerce capabilities and direct deliveries to their homes from our warehouses or stores,” says Riding. Riding also says that GameStop stores have “implemented heightened cleaning practices on all high-touchpoint surfaces within our stores. And like other retailers, we are taking aggressive actions, in an admittedly difficult environment, to quickly obtain the necessary cleaning supplies needed.” The last part of that statement may be a response to ongoing concerns by GameStop employees who claim that stores are not being properly outfitted with cleaning materials. The r/GameStop subreddit is filled with numerous complaints from people who claim to be employees at GameStop who worry that stores aren’t being properly cleaned to handle COVID-19. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/12/doom-eternal-launch-trailer"] IGN reached out to GameStop to ask what the most up-to-date policies for employees’ health and safety are, but have not heard back from the company by the time of publication. In response to the growing outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, retailers and movie theater chains are closing down locations to prevent unnecessary contact between people. While GameStop hasn’t announced store closures in cities that don’t require them to, it will be difficult for the retailer as there’s a recent initiative to make GameStop more public, event spaces. For more, check out IGN’s COVID-19 safety guidelines for more info on how we’re handling the outbreak. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. If you're an employee at GameStop you can reach him at Twitter or at mkim@ign.com

GameStop Cancels Animal Crossing and Doom Midnight Launches

GameStop has announced plans to cancel the midnight launch for Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Doom Eternal this Friday due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

In a statement from GameStop senior vice president of store operations Gary Riding, the company announced several procedures for GameStop locations meant to curb close contact, including canceling midnight launches. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-animal-crossing-game-review&captions=true"] “Like many businesses, we are taking action to institute multiple social distancing practices in our stores such as only allowing 10 customers in our stores at any given time, canceling all gaming events and midnight launch activities until further notice, disabling temporarily all interactive gaming stations in our stores, introducing in-store line management practices that creates a 1-meter parameter between customers in checkout lines, and encouraging customers to several our online ecommerce capabilities and direct deliveries to their homes from our warehouses or stores,” says Riding. Riding also says that GameStop stores have “implemented heightened cleaning practices on all high-touchpoint surfaces within our stores. And like other retailers, we are taking aggressive actions, in an admittedly difficult environment, to quickly obtain the necessary cleaning supplies needed.” The last part of that statement may be a response to ongoing concerns by GameStop employees who claim that stores are not being properly outfitted with cleaning materials. The r/GameStop subreddit is filled with numerous complaints from people who claim to be employees at GameStop who worry that stores aren’t being properly cleaned to handle COVID-19. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/12/doom-eternal-launch-trailer"] IGN reached out to GameStop to ask what the most up-to-date policies for employees’ health and safety are, but have not heard back from the company by the time of publication. In response to the growing outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, retailers and movie theater chains are closing down locations to prevent unnecessary contact between people. While GameStop hasn’t announced store closures in cities that don’t require them to, it will be difficult for the retailer as there’s a recent initiative to make GameStop more public, event spaces. For more, check out IGN’s COVID-19 safety guidelines for more info on how we’re handling the outbreak. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. If you're an employee at GameStop you can reach him at Twitter or at mkim@ign.com

Watch Ahsoka Tano in Action in New Clone Wars Teaser Trailer

Lucasfilm and Disney have released a new TV spot from Episode 5 of the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, titled "Gone With a Trace." The episode will premiere on Disney+ on Friday, March 20, 2020. Here's how the streamer describes the episode: "After leaving the Jedi Order, Ahsoka Tano finds herself in the underworld of Coruscant where she befriends aspiring pilot Trace Martez. Enlisted by Trace’s sister Rafa to help build dangerous droids, Ahsoka opts to keep her Jedi past a secret." You can watch the exciting new clip featuring Ahsoka Tano in action in the video below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/17/star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-7-ahsoka-tano-official-tv-spot"] Disney+ also revealed a batch of new images from "Gone With a Trace" featuring Ahsoka, aspiring pilot Trace Martez, a deadly droid, and more. Check out the new photos in the gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-the-clone-wars-final-season-gallery&captions=true"] For more on The Clone Wars, check out our review of "Unfinished Business," Ahsoka Tano explained, a new Clone Wars five-issue comic miniseries from IDW, or refresh your memory with a recap of The Clone Wars so far and a guide to watching in chronological order. [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.