Monthly Archives: April 2020

Dune: Here’s Your First Look at the Epic Retelling

Warner Bros. has released the first official look at their forthcoming sci-fi epic Dune, an adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel directed by Blade Runner 2049's Denis Villeneuve. The first photo, seen below, features Little Women and The King's Timothée Chalamet as protagonist Paul Atreides, the heir of House Atreides. The photo, which debuted at Vanity Fair, shows Paul on the shores of his oceanic homeworld Caladan as ships arrive to transport his aristocratic family to their new post, the desert planet of Arrakis. Once there, House Atreides will lock horn with their sinister rivals, House Harkonnen. [caption id="attachment_233614" align="alignnone" width="720"]Dune-Timothee-Chalamet Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in Dune. (Photo credit: WB/Vanity Fair)[/caption] Chalamet was drawn to the role of Paul Atreides precisely because he's not the usual genre hero yearning for adventure. “The immediately appealing thing about Paul was the fact that in a story of such detail and scale and world-building, the protagonist is on an anti-hero’s-journey of sorts,” said Chalamet. Paul will find the path he thought his life would take radically altered once on Arrakis, where he eventually joins forces with the native Fremen. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dune-movie-every-actor-in-the-sci-fi-reboot&captions=true"] As of now, Warners still intends to release Dune in theaters this December despite so many other films being delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Director Villeneuve paid tribute to his international crew, who he said "are like family to me." He added, "I look forward to a time when we can all get together again as Dune was made to be seen on the big screen.” [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/29/dune-has-a-really-interesting-new-logo-ign-news] For more on Dune, check out our explainer breaking down the saga, the first look at the film's logo, and our rundown of the film's amazing cast.

ESRB Announces New Ratings Label for Loot Boxes

The ESRB has announced a new ratings label for games with loot boxes and other randomized in-game purchases. The ESRB created an "In-Game Purchases" rating label for games back in 2018 as a response to the loot box discourse that reached different state governments in the United States and elsewhere in the world like Belgium, and now the company has created a new label for random items. The label will still feature "In-Game Purchases" but now the label will say, "In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items)." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=7-cyberpunk-games-to-play-while-youre-waiting-for-cyberpunk-2077&captions=true"] You can check out what it looks like below. IGP-IRI2-1024x750 "This new Interactive Element, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), will be assigned to any game that contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real world currency (or with virtual coins or other forms of in-game currency that can be purchases with real world currency) for which the player doesn't know prior to purchase the specific digital goods or premiums they will be receiving (e.g., loot boxes, item packs, mystery awards)," the ESRB said in their announcement. This new signage will be attached to any game that includes loot boxes, gacha games, item or card packs, prize wheels, treasure chests, and more, according to the ESRB. If a game has in-game purchases but no random items to be purchased, the game will receive only the "In-Game Purchases" rating. This new rating comes by way of requests to the ESRB, the organization said. "Since adding the In-Game Purchases notice to ratings assigned to physical games, many game consumers and enthusiasts (not necessarily parents) have reached out to us asking the ESRB to include additional information to identify games that include randomized purchases," the ESRB said. "The In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items) Interactive Element was developed in response to those requests." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/10/12/the-esrb-and-the-loot-box-gambling-controversy"] The ESRB explained why it's not specifically using the words "Loot Boxes," which are words the gaming community as a whole typically use when referring to randomized in-game purchases. According to the ESRB, the organization wanted to ensure that the label covers all transactions with randomized elements — not just loot boxes. It also said that research shows that less than a third of parents have both heard the term "loot box" and understand what that term means. "'Loot box' is a widely understood phrase in and around the video game industry and among dedicated gamers, but most people less familiar with games do not understand it," the ESRB said. "While the new label is primarily in response to feedback from game enthusiasts, it is still essential that all consumers, especially parents, have a clear understanding of the rating information we provide." To catch up on the loot box discussion, read about EA's Star Wars Battlefront 2, which is the game that stirred the discussion around the industry back in 2017. EA defended those loot boxes and called them "surprise mechanics" at the time. This larger discussion of loot boxes is still ongoing and just last year, had publishers like Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony working on new policies regarding loot box probability. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Here’s What the New Episode of Netflix’s Tiger King Revealed

Netflix released the eighth episode of their blockbuster docu-series Tiger King, an aftershow titled The Tiger King and I, on Sunday, which included new some revelations from the motley crew of Joe Exotic's big cat park featured on the show. Due to the current self-isolating measures, host Joel McHale conducted remote interviews with Tiger King cast members John Reinke, Joshua Dial, John Finlay, Saff, Erik Cowie, Rick Kirkman, and Jeff and Lauren Lowe. Each interviewee shared their thoughts on the success of the series and their newfound celebrity, with many stunned by the notoriety considering they just consider themselves regular working people who just so happened to be in a documentary. (Saff, for example,  recounted being stopped by fans while on a late night run to Walmart, while Reinke said he's had fans violate self-isolation rules to shake his hand while he's on walks.) Most of the revelations were about the series' main subject, the now-incarcerated Joe Exotic (aka Joseph Maldonado-Passage), with the cast members reiterating their animosity toward him. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/31/netflixs-tiger-king-murder-mayhem-and-madness-season-1-review] Here are the six biggest takeaways from The Tiger King and I (and SPOILERS ahead for the Netflix series):

Joe Exotic Killed a Horse and Fed it to Tigers

TV producer Rick Kirkham, who now lives in Norway, provided the aftershow's most dramatic revelation. After accepting an elderly horse from its teary-eyed owner and assuring them the horse would live out its final days in good care, Joe waited until the owner left before shooting the horse dead in front of Kirkham. “I don’t take care of nobody’s animals. Now they’re tiger meat," Exotic told Kirkham before having the carcass chopped up and fed to his tigers.

Joe Exotic Is Actually Scared of Tigers

For a man dubbed "The Tiger King," it turns out Joe Exotic is deathly afraid of big cats. Kirkham says that when Joe infamously posed for photos with tigers, the cats were harmless because one was blind and the other tranquilized. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-true-crime-shows-and-movies-to-watch-online&captions=true"]

Tiger Attack on Saff Used in Safety Video

Saff recalled that while Joe didn't provide any financial assistance for the incident that cost Saff most of his left arm, footage of the mauling was used by Joe in a safety video shown to zoo employees.

Travis Maldonado's Death

The most shocking and tragic moment on the show was when Joe's husband Travis Maldonado accidentally shot and killed himself in front of Joe's campaign manager, Joshua Dial, whose reaction was caught on a surveillance camera. Dial recalled the heart-wrenching seconds after Travis shot himself in the head and the fear and disbelief that he saw on Travis' face before he died. While Dial did not seek professional counseling -- he hopes to soon -- after witnessing the tragedy, neither did Joe. According to Dial, Joe instead sought out a shaman for help, but Dial claims Joe's behavior only deteriorated after that. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/tiger-king-whos-the-worst"]

"Jeff Lowe Nanny"

Jeff and Lauren Lowe, who have an open marriage, were asked about their attractive nanny, which is a top search result when people google Jeff Lowe. (They said things are going well with Masha.) But Jeff spent most of his time in the interview with McHale hoping to set the record straight about a few things presented on the show. Jeff bristled at being depicted as the show's villain, claiming that those, like Joe, he helps out eventually turn on him. Jeff, who revealed he owns roughly 60-70 Affliction t-shirts, said he knows the real reason why his former pal and business partner James Garretson became an FBI informant -- and that it wasn't because he illegally owned a lemur. Lowe, however, wouldn't disclose what that other reason was. Neither of the Lowes also knew why their pal and would-be hitman, Allen Glover, was interviewed in a bathtub at one point.

Should Joe Exotic Be in Prison?

"Good riddance," said big cat handler Erik Cowie when asked about Exotic's 22-year prison sentence. Cowie's disdain for Joe Exotic was echoed by nearly every interviewee, all of whom recounted Joe's ego, volatility, and overall nastiness. Only Saff showed any measure of sympathy, saying Joe did some good things for the less fortunate and that he hopes he doesn't die in prison. [poilib element="accentDivider"] What did you think of The Tiger King and I? Did it leave you with any lingering questions about the show or its characters? Let us know in the comments. For more on Tiger King, check out our review of the series, the new SNL skit about Carole Baskin, and get the details on the scripted show Rob Lowe and Ryan Murphy are making about Joe Exotic as well as a new series set to explore the murder rumors surrounding Carole Baskin.

James Gunn: ‘No Reason’ for The Suicide Squad and Guardians 3 to Be Delayed

James Gunn, answering fan questions on Twitter, stated that nether of his upcoming films for DC and Marvel -- The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 -- are currently having their release dates affected by the coronavirus crisis. Obviously, this could change somewhere down the line, but for right now Gunn explained "there’s no reason for The Suicide Squad release date to move. We are on or ahead of schedule. We were extremely fortunate to wrap shooting & set up editing from our homes (due to a post production team & studio with foresight) before quarantine." Gunn also mentioned that the plans for Guardians Vol. 3 remain the same... The Suicide Squad wrapped production back on February 29, with a heartfelt message from Gunn. The film is scheduled to premiere August 6, 2021. Meanwhile, Rocket's past is reportedly a "big part" of Guardians Vol. 3, with Gunn also not completely ruling out a possibl Drax and Mantis spinoff. Since production has yet to begin, Guardians Vol. 3 currently has no official release date. As Black Widow has now been moved from May to November, most of Marvel's Phase 4 has been shifted around. It's hard to believe, back in 2006, the MCU was just a hopeful glint in Marvel Studios' eyes. You can watch the first-ever tease of the MCU here. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/07/mcu-phase-4-theory-black-widow-is-setting-up-an-avengers-level-villain-ign-now"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

SNL’s Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles Will Haunt Your Dreams

This week's Saturday Night Live, which adopted a unique "At Home" format, and featured surprise host Tom Hanks and a fun swipe at Tiger King's Carole Baskin, aired a new animated short, catching us up on the now-miserable lives of Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello -- as the Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles! Watch April and Mikey try to keep their marriage alive. Cringe in fear as Donny gets some disturbing news from his doctor. And what happened to ol' Shredder? Prepare yourself for some scintillating adulting... Looking for shows to binge during these quaran-tainment times? Here are some IGN-recommented series to take in... [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=6-video-games-that-should-be-netflix-shows&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

‘SNL at Home’ Spoofs Tiger King’s Carole Baskin

Saturday Night Live returned to TV, after over a month off the air, using a new format that saw the cast engaging in social distancing, presenting monologues and segments they'd made at home - plus a surprise host in the form of coronavirus survivor Tom Hanks (who also appeared from his home)! Many wondered what kind of skits and comedy bits the cast could deliver from their New York City apartments, or if there'd even be room for the errant Tiger King gag, but comedian/impressionist Chloe Fineman came through with a spoof of MasterClass: the online subscription platform featuring hundreds of video lessons from "masters" of their field. Fineman gave us a MasterClass: Quarantine Edition featuring her takes on Timothée Chalamet, Dance Moms' Jojo Siwa and - yes - a killer impersonation of Carole Baskin. Check it out... It should be noted that SNL's own Kate McKinnon is set to play Carole Baskin in an upcoming Tiger King limited series. The last SNL to air was back on March 7 and featured host Daniel Craig, whose movie No Time to Die had already been bumped to November. Craig spoofed James Bond along with his Southern accent in Rian Johnson's Knives Out. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-nbcuniversals-peacock&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Tom Hanks Acts as the Surprise Host for ‘SNL at Home’

A few days back, it was announced that SNL would return this week using a new "At Home" format. Having been off the air for a little over over a month, the series would now include the cast and crew engaging in social distancing, airing monologues and segments they've made at home. What wasn't announced for SNL at Home were the host and/or musical guest - or even if there would be anything resembling those roles at all. In a surprise move, from his own residence, Tom Hanks acted as SNL at Home's host, referring to himself as the "celebrity canary in the coal mine for coronavirus," having been diagnosed with COVID-19, along with wife Rita Wilson, back at the beginning of March while down they were in Australia where Hanks was filming an Elvis Presley biopic. Check it out... "There's no such thing as Saturdays any more, every day is just today," Hanks quipped, also remarking "This is the first time I’ve worn anything but sweat pants since March 11." And if you think you were shocked by Hanks being the host, take a look at son Colin Hanks' tweet... The last SNL to air was back on March 7 and featured host Daniel Craig, whose movie No Time to Die had already been bumped to November. Craig spoofed James Bond along with his Southern accent in Rian Johnson's Knives Out. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/08/quibi-review-2020"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Dwayne Johnson Reveals the Action Movie Role He Wanted But Didn’t Get

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, like many self-isolating celebrities, is doing his best to engage with fans via social media. In Johnson's case, his social distancing has led to many online Q&A sessions where the current biggest box office draw in the world chats with his followers, answering queries and offering up engaging anecdotes. Johnson's latest story takes us back a decade, to a time when it wasn't as easy for him to get headlining roles. "Was there a movie role I really wanted, but lost to another actor?" Johnson started. "Yup. The role was Jack Reacher. The actor was Tom Cruise. Business is business and I’m happy he got it." Here, take a look at Johnson explain his loss. Which turned into an immediate gain because, very soon after, he landed a big role in Fast Five.

“I’m positive that the role of Jack Reacher, because it was an established character, an IP that was well known and beloved around the world, that I wouldn’t have had the creative space to do what I wanted with the character,” Johnson said. “I look back in gratitude that I didn’t get Jack Reacher.” Looking for things to  while indefinitely indoors? Apple TV+ is currently streaming these 8 series for free while next week's Watch from Home Theater, here at IGN, will be a watch-along of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with writers Gary Whitta and Chris Weitz! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dwayne-the-rock-johnsons-10-best-movies&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Watch Kevin Feige’s Very First Tease in 2006 of His MCU Plan

Here at IGN we occasionally like to showcase something from geekdom's rich history -- a pop-culture Time Capsule, if you will, that gives us a peek in to the past, perhaps providing a new appreciation for previous projects. If you'd like, please check out the past few Time Capsules: [poilib element="accentDivider"] It's hard to imagine a time when the only superhero movies hitting theaters involved Spider-Man, Batman, Blade, or the errant Painkiller Jane, but rest assured, what the village elders told you is true: There was a time before the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even if it doesn't readily feel like it. Heck, there was even a time before superhero movies in general. History books merely refer to this era as "The Big Dark." Back in the '90s, when the company was in dire straits and needed fast cash, Marvel licensed its heroes out to any movie studio willing to shell out the bells. It's how we wound up with 19 Punisher movies. But even the most successful of these films - like the Sam Raimi Spider-verse, the "Let's face it, you're here to see Wolverine"-verse, and a few others that did well enough to warrant sequels (Blade, Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four, etc) -- only ever existed in their own bubble. There was no crossing the streams when it came to supers. Everyone super stayed in their super lanes. Back in 2006, at San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige -- when asked about the potential for crossovers in Marvel's new slate of films (which at the time were to be Captain America, Nick Fury, and Thor, after Iron man and Hulk) -- explained: "If you listen to the characters I named, and what we're working on currently, and you put them all together, there's no coincidence that they may someday equal the Avengers." Here, check out the snippet below of Feige on the panel (at the :27 mark). (If the embed doesn't work, watch it here.) It's just a brief blurb, which was included in a larger documentary about the MCU. See, before smartphones were commonplace, aka "The Big Big Dark," SDCC panels weren't blasted out everywhere online. [extreme old man voice] When I was a kid the internet was called staring directly at the sunnnnnn. It's kind of cute to hear Feige, who's now Chief Emperor Overlord of All Things Marvel, act so hopeful and optimistic about this "larger mosaic." Using words like "may" and "possibility" and "it would be great if people would watch something other than Uncle Ben dying." Because Marvel movies now rule the multiplexes. Or, at least, they will again someday when multiplexes start flexing their plexes again. It's no secret that Phase 4, and humanity in general, is off to a rocky start here in 2020. Black Widow, which was to have opened in May but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, will now take the November 6, 2020, slot originally occupied by The Eternals. The Eternals now moves to Feb. 12, 2021 and Shang-Chi now takes May 7, 2021. For the rest of the new Phase 4 date switcheroos, head here. The following year, at 2007's SDCC, the Marvel panel was for Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. Iron Man was the first, and most important, seed of the saga. A for Hulk... well, Hulk as a headliner is like getting a shake as your "drink" at a fast-food restaurant. It just doesn't go down smooth. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Why Jesse Eisenberg Isn’t Officially a Part of the Snyder Cut Movement

There's a reason why Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice star Jesse Eisenberg hasn't made any public remarks about the Snyder Cut version of Justice League in the way Ben Affleck, Jason Momoa, and others have. It turns out, he hasn't even watched the regular theatrical version of Justice League. In an interview with the Toronto Sun this week, Eisenberg explained that he wasn't sure how to weigh in on the Snyder Cut because "I don’t watch anything I’ve been in, and I haven’t seen either Batman v Superman or Justice League." "I know that I had a smaller part in one of them," he added, "but I get pretty uncomfortable watching myself. So I’m not aware of a Snyder Cut." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batman-ranking-the-movie-batsuits&captions=true"] "I’m not part of, I don’t even know what to call it: the movement," Eisenberg added. "I like Zack Snyder and I worked with him for a while just by virtue of these movies taking so long to film. I love his style and aesthetic and if there’s a movie he wanted to see released, I’m sure it would be great." Meanwhile, Zack Snyder recently joined a growing list of filmmakers and artists who have taken to social media to help entertain fans during the pandemic. Snyder marked the fourth anniversary of the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice by releasing a new director's commentary track for the Ultimate Cut of the DC movie, revealing new tidbits about Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, and more. Looking for more? Find out what Snyder himself had to say about the existence of the Snyder Cut and the real reason Affleck dropped out of The Batman. In Eisenberg news, here's IGN's review of claustrophobic sci-fi mindbender Vivarium, starring Eisenberg and Imogen Poots - plus a clip from the film! [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/30/vivarium-clip-1"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.