Monthly Archives: May 2020

Mister Sinister Was Supposed to Be in This X-Men Movie

Iconic Marvel Comics villain Mister Sinister narrowly missed his chance to appear in Fox's X-Men movie franchise. According to Dark Phoenix writer/director Simon Kinberg, the plan was for Sinister to appear in the now canceled Gambit movie starring Channing Tatum. Kinberg confirmed those story plans while taking part in IGN's Watch From Home Theater for X-Men: Days of Future Past. 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse was indeed meant to set the stage for a Mister Sinister-driven X-Men movie. Just maybe not the one fans would have guessed. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-x-men-movies-that-probably-wont-happen-now-and-a-few-that-will&captions=true"] "We had a tease of it at the end of Apocalypse. The Essex Corp is something that you see in a tag at the end of Apocalypse," said Kinberg. "We had talked about doing something with him, and I won't get into the specifics of it since it's no longer a 20th Century Fox property and now it's part of the MCU. I have no idea what the plan is. But Mister Sinister was going to be part of the Gambit movie starring Channing Tatum." This seems to discredit another popular online rumor suggesting Sinister would have a cameo in New Mutants (with actors like Jon Hamm and Daniel Craig rumored for the role), setting him up as a major villain in that particular spinoff series. Indeed, Kinberg told IGN that plans for Mr. Sinister never got close enough to the casting stage so you can forget about those rumors of Hamm and Craig. A Gambit movie has been in various stages of development ever since the character's live-action debut in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Channing Tatum came aboard to star in and produce the Gambit movie in 2014. Sadly, despite appearing at Comic-Con in 2015 alongside Stan Lee and the rest of the X-Men movie-verse cast, Tatum's dream of playing the Ragin' Cajun never materialized. The film cycled through several directors, including Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), and Gore Verbinski (the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy). But ultimately, Gambit was one of many planned X-Men movies canceled after Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. [youtube clip_id="CodGWCorX8I"] As Kinberg alludes, there's no telling what Marvel Studios' plans for the X-Men franchise are right now. It's always possible the Gambit movie will survive the transition to Disney (as Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool 3 seems to have done) and we may still see Tatum given the chance to play Gambit at long last. But for now, fans may need to wait a very long time to see Gambit finally battle Mister Sinister on the big screen. Check back soon for even more juicy tidbits revealed during the Days of Future Past WFH Theater stream. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Mister Sinister Was Supposed to Be in This X-Men Movie

Iconic Marvel Comics villain Mister Sinister narrowly missed his chance to appear in Fox's X-Men movie franchise. According to Dark Phoenix writer/director Simon Kinberg, the plan was for Sinister to appear in the now canceled Gambit movie starring Channing Tatum. Kinberg confirmed those story plans while taking part in IGN's Watch From Home Theater for X-Men: Days of Future Past. 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse was indeed meant to set the stage for a Mister Sinister-driven X-Men movie. Just maybe not the one fans would have guessed. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-x-men-movies-that-probably-wont-happen-now-and-a-few-that-will&captions=true"] "We had a tease of it at the end of Apocalypse. The Essex Corp is something that you see in a tag at the end of Apocalypse," said Kinberg. "We had talked about doing something with him, and I won't get into the specifics of it since it's no longer a 20th Century Fox property and now it's part of the MCU. I have no idea what the plan is. But Mister Sinister was going to be part of the Gambit movie starring Channing Tatum." This seems to discredit another popular online rumor suggesting Sinister would have a cameo in New Mutants (with actors like Jon Hamm and Daniel Craig rumored for the role), setting him up as a major villain in that particular spinoff series. Indeed, Kinberg told IGN that plans for Mr. Sinister never got close enough to the casting stage so you can forget about those rumors of Hamm and Craig. A Gambit movie has been in various stages of development ever since the character's live-action debut in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Channing Tatum came aboard to star in and produce the Gambit movie in 2014. Sadly, despite appearing at Comic-Con in 2015 alongside Stan Lee and the rest of the X-Men movie-verse cast, Tatum's dream of playing the Ragin' Cajun never materialized. The film cycled through several directors, including Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), and Gore Verbinski (the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy). But ultimately, Gambit was one of many planned X-Men movies canceled after Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. [youtube clip_id="CodGWCorX8I"] As Kinberg alludes, there's no telling what Marvel Studios' plans for the X-Men franchise are right now. It's always possible the Gambit movie will survive the transition to Disney (as Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool 3 seems to have done) and we may still see Tatum given the chance to play Gambit at long last. But for now, fans may need to wait a very long time to see Gambit finally battle Mister Sinister on the big screen. Check back soon for even more juicy tidbits revealed during the Days of Future Past WFH Theater stream. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Tenet: Nolan Blew Up a Real Jumbo Jet Because It Was Easier Than VFX

Director Christopher Nolan is renowned for his preference for practical effects over CGI. In that case, it may come as no surprise that – during the production of the highly-anticipated Tenet – Nolan opted to simply blow up a real 747 rather than rely on visual effects. “I planned to do it using miniatures and set-piece builds and a combination of visual effects and all the rest,” Nolan told UK magazine Total Film, via GameRadar. “We started to run the numbers... It became apparent that it would actually be more efficient to buy a real plane of the real size, and perform this sequence for real in camera, rather than build miniatures or go the CG route.” [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/22/tenet-official-trailer-2] According to Nolan the team discovered a stockpile of old planes while location scouting in California, and called the purchase “kind of impulse buying.” Star Robert Pattinson dubbed the move “so bold to the point of ridiculousness.” “You wouldn’t have thought there was any reality where you would be doing a scene where they just have an actual 747 to blow up!” said the actor. This isn’t the first time Nolan has insisted on using genuine aircraft for a production; Dunkirk used real Spitfires and a Spanish-manufactured HA-1112 Buchón (a license-built version of the infamous Messerschmitt Bf 109) for its remarkable dogfighting sequences. However, despite rumours Nolan had planned to crash an antique plane during Dunkirk’s production, all destruction scenes in the movie were shot with replicas. Nolan recently unveiled the second trailer for Tenet, after which leading man John David Washington revealed that he and the other actors were often just as confused about the movie’s plot as fans watching the teaser. Despite uncertainly around the operation of cinemas worldwide related to the current pandemic, Tenet’s release date still stands at July 17, 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter sporadically @MrLukeReilly.

Tenet: Nolan Blew Up a Real Jumbo Jet Because It Was Easier Than VFX

Director Christopher Nolan is renowned for his preference for practical effects over CGI. In that case, it may come as no surprise that – during the production of the highly-anticipated Tenet – Nolan opted to simply blow up a real 747 rather than rely on visual effects. “I planned to do it using miniatures and set-piece builds and a combination of visual effects and all the rest,” Nolan told UK magazine Total Film, via GameRadar. “We started to run the numbers... It became apparent that it would actually be more efficient to buy a real plane of the real size, and perform this sequence for real in camera, rather than build miniatures or go the CG route.” [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/22/tenet-official-trailer-2] According to Nolan the team discovered a stockpile of old planes while location scouting in California, and called the purchase “kind of impulse buying.” Star Robert Pattinson dubbed the move “so bold to the point of ridiculousness.” “You wouldn’t have thought there was any reality where you would be doing a scene where they just have an actual 747 to blow up!” said the actor. This isn’t the first time Nolan has insisted on using genuine aircraft for a production; Dunkirk used real Spitfires and a Spanish-manufactured HA-1112 Buchón (a license-built version of the infamous Messerschmitt Bf 109) for its remarkable dogfighting sequences. However, despite rumours Nolan had planned to crash an antique plane during Dunkirk’s production, all destruction scenes in the movie were shot with replicas. Nolan recently unveiled the second trailer for Tenet, after which leading man John David Washington revealed that he and the other actors were often just as confused about the movie’s plot as fans watching the teaser. Despite uncertainly around the operation of cinemas worldwide related to the current pandemic, Tenet’s release date still stands at July 17, 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter sporadically @MrLukeReilly.

If Found Review – Call Me By My Name

A little empathy goes a long way. Especially when it comes to those we seek unconditional love and support from, it can mean the difference between spiralling into a black hole of depression and having the comfort to simply exist free of judgment. It's one of the many themes If Found so vividly represents in sketchbook-style visual novel form. Through expressive minimalist illustrations, ethereal sound design, sharp writing, and thematic coherence, the chaos and serenity of young adulthood jumps out of its pages for a story that's heartbreaking, heartwarming, and wholly affecting.

With a diary and eraser, we recollect and move past the memories of main character Kasio during a pivotal time in her life. It's December 1993 in County Mayo of Ireland, and having come back to her small hometown of Achill from Dublin for the holidays, she's kind of lost. With two higher-education degrees to her name and a lukewarm desire to pursue a Ph.D, she gets the "why don't you get a decent job and start a decent life" spiel from her mom--a conversation that some of us are all too familiar with. But underlying in this early exchange is a hint that a source of pain comes from her own mom seeing right past who Kasio really is.

Tension between Kasio and her mom can paint painful scenes.
Tension between Kasio and her mom can paint painful scenes.

In real life, not everyone has a place to go, a network to build off and help spring you into adulthood, or even a loving home to fall back on--such is Kasio's life. As you literally erase each scene on screen with your cursor to move through the day-by-day events, all of her introspections and interactions are laid bare. Erasure is a simple gameplay mechanic, making you peel layers upon layers of vivid memories, and one with powerful implications.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

If Found Review – Call Me By My Name

A little empathy goes a long way. Especially when it comes to those we seek unconditional love and support from, it can mean the difference between spiralling into a black hole of depression and having the comfort to simply exist free of judgment. It's one of the many themes If Found so vividly represents in sketchbook-style visual novel form. Through expressive minimalist illustrations, ethereal sound design, sharp writing, and thematic coherence, the chaos and serenity of young adulthood jumps out of its pages for a story that's heartbreaking, heartwarming, and wholly affecting.

With a diary and eraser, we recollect and move past the memories of main character Kasio during a pivotal time in her life. It's December 1993 in County Mayo of Ireland, and having come back to her small hometown of Achill from Dublin for the holidays, she's kind of lost. With two higher-education degrees to her name and a lukewarm desire to pursue a Ph.D, she gets the "why don't you get a decent job and start a decent life" spiel from her mom--a conversation that some of us are all too familiar with. But underlying in this early exchange is a hint that a source of pain comes from her own mom seeing right past who Kasio really is.

Tension between Kasio and her mom can paint painful scenes.
Tension between Kasio and her mom can paint painful scenes.

In real life, not everyone has a place to go, a network to build off and help spring you into adulthood, or even a loving home to fall back on--such is Kasio's life. As you literally erase each scene on screen with your cursor to move through the day-by-day events, all of her introspections and interactions are laid bare. Erasure is a simple gameplay mechanic, making you peel layers upon layers of vivid memories, and one with powerful implications.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Fantastic Four Director Josh Trank Has No Interest in a ‘Trank Cut’

Josh Trank, who directed 2015's notorious Fantastic Four reboot, has gone on the record as saying that he is not interested in any "Trank Cut" of the film being released. The so-called "Trank Cut" is obviously a reference to The Snyder Cut of Justice League. It was announced last week that Zack Snyder's version of that film will be finished and released on HBO Max in 2021. As CBR points out, a fan on Twitter suggested the idea to Trank of a director's cut of his Fantastic Four, but the filmmaker replied "No need." He then followed up with a retweet of CBR's story, saying rather cheekily, "Yeah... No trank you."

trank-tweetTrank's most recent film, the Tom Hardy drama Capone, was just released. He's acknowledged the problems he had on Fantastic Four. "What I tried to do with Fantastic Four was so arrogant for somebody who hadn't really gotten the handle of his own skill set as a filmmaker to do that kind of stuff with it," he told The Hollywood Reporter. He had some fun with a review of the film on Letterbox last fall, saying he was in a "heavily f**king traumatized state of mind" just two weeks before the movie was set to release. In that review, he even asked "Is there a #releasethetrankcut?" before adding that it "doesn't matter."

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-superhero-directors-cuts-you-can-stream-now&captions=true"]

The full story of what happened with Fantastic Four has never been revealed, but after the movie was released, actor Toby Kebbell (who played Doom in it) said that Trank "cut a great film that you’ll never see. That is a shame. A much darker version, and you’ll never see it.” Trank also tweeted a similar sentiment when the film was first released, saying "A year ago I had a fantastic version of this. And it would've received great reviews. You’ll probably never see it. That’s reality though."

What do you think? Should a Trank Cut see the light of day? Let's discuss in the comments!

Fantastic Four Director Josh Trank Has No Interest in a ‘Trank Cut’

Josh Trank, who directed 2015's notorious Fantastic Four reboot, has gone on the record as saying that he is not interested in any "Trank Cut" of the film being released. The so-called "Trank Cut" is obviously a reference to The Snyder Cut of Justice League. It was announced last week that Zack Snyder's version of that film will be finished and released on HBO Max in 2021. As CBR points out, a fan on Twitter suggested the idea to Trank of a director's cut of his Fantastic Four, but the filmmaker replied "No need." He then followed up with a retweet of CBR's story, saying rather cheekily, "Yeah... No trank you."

trank-tweetTrank's most recent film, the Tom Hardy drama Capone, was just released. He's acknowledged the problems he had on Fantastic Four. "What I tried to do with Fantastic Four was so arrogant for somebody who hadn't really gotten the handle of his own skill set as a filmmaker to do that kind of stuff with it," he told The Hollywood Reporter. He had some fun with a review of the film on Letterbox last fall, saying he was in a "heavily f**king traumatized state of mind" just two weeks before the movie was set to release. In that review, he even asked "Is there a #releasethetrankcut?" before adding that it "doesn't matter."

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-superhero-directors-cuts-you-can-stream-now&captions=true"]

The full story of what happened with Fantastic Four has never been revealed, but after the movie was released, actor Toby Kebbell (who played Doom in it) said that Trank "cut a great film that you’ll never see. That is a shame. A much darker version, and you’ll never see it.” Trank also tweeted a similar sentiment when the film was first released, saying "A year ago I had a fantastic version of this. And it would've received great reviews. You’ll probably never see it. That’s reality though."

What do you think? Should a Trank Cut see the light of day? Let's discuss in the comments!

The Snyder Cut Will Cost More Than $30 Million, Says HBO Max Boss

When official news of the release of The Snyder Cut swept the Internet last week, early reports pegged the cost of bringing director Zack Snyder's true vision of the Justice League movie to life as being between $20-$30 million. But it's actually going to cost more than that, the head of HBO Max said in a new podcast interview. During an appearance on Recode Media's podcast (via Screenrant), WarnerMedia chairman and HBO Max boss Bob Greenblatt admitted that he wishes the Snyder Cut would only cost $30 million to release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-official-hbo-max-announcement"] "It isn't as easy as going into the vault and there's a Snyder Cut sitting there to put out," Greenblatt explained. "Zack is actually building it and it's complex, including - and I don't wanna get into too much detail that we haven't already talked about yet - but, new effects shots." Greenblatt described the Snyder Cut as "a radical rethinking of that movie" and "complicated and wildly expensive. Which is, of course, a number I won't quote... I'll just say I wish it was $30 million and stop there." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-superhero-directors-cuts-you-can-stream-now&captions=true"] As it is, HBO Max -- which launches May 27th -- will tout Zack Snyder's Justice League as one of their huge exclusive titles next year. In the meantime, Snyder will work with his team to get his version of the film into finished shape. For more on The Snyder Cut, check out our deep dive into the legendary project's history and learn what the cast had to say about the release news.

The Snyder Cut Will Cost More Than $30 Million, Says HBO Max Boss

When official news of the release of The Snyder Cut swept the Internet last week, early reports pegged the cost of bringing director Zack Snyder's true vision of the Justice League movie to life as being between $20-$30 million. But it's actually going to cost more than that, the head of HBO Max said in a new podcast interview. During an appearance on Recode Media's podcast (via Screenrant), WarnerMedia chairman and HBO Max boss Bob Greenblatt admitted that he wishes the Snyder Cut would only cost $30 million to release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-official-hbo-max-announcement"] "It isn't as easy as going into the vault and there's a Snyder Cut sitting there to put out," Greenblatt explained. "Zack is actually building it and it's complex, including - and I don't wanna get into too much detail that we haven't already talked about yet - but, new effects shots." Greenblatt described the Snyder Cut as "a radical rethinking of that movie" and "complicated and wildly expensive. Which is, of course, a number I won't quote... I'll just say I wish it was $30 million and stop there." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-superhero-directors-cuts-you-can-stream-now&captions=true"] As it is, HBO Max -- which launches May 27th -- will tout Zack Snyder's Justice League as one of their huge exclusive titles next year. In the meantime, Snyder will work with his team to get his version of the film into finished shape. For more on The Snyder Cut, check out our deep dive into the legendary project's history and learn what the cast had to say about the release news.