Monthly Archives: August 2020
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Playable Characters Announced
During a panel at DC FanDome on Saturday, the main characters for Rocksteady's upcoming game, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League were revealed, along with the announcement trailer.
The four main characters are:
- Harley Quinn a.k.a. Dr. Harleen Quinzel, the "mistress of mayhem"
- King Shark a.k.a. Nanaue, the "demigod humanoid shark"
- Deadshot a.k.a. Floyd Lawton, the "most dangerous marksman alive"
- Captain Boomerang a.k.a. Digger Harkness, the "Aussie assassin extraordinaire"
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League First Trailer, 2022 Release
Rocksteady Studios' Batman: Arkham series followup returns the developer to the world of DC Comics, and now we actually know about what Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League entails. Beyond the obvious, given its title and all. Suicide Squad has a 2022 release window.
Revealed during the game's DC FanDome panel, the first trailer revealed the Suicide Squad roster which includes Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and Kingshark. As the name implies and as revealed in the first trailer, Superman has become evil (or something) and the Suicide Squad is tasked with killing the Justice League.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-game-announcement-trailer-dc-fandome"]
The plot of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League follows closely to the plot of the Suicide Squad comic books. The DC Universe's notorious villains are contracted by the government to form Task Force X and carry out clandestine missions in exchange for a full pardon.
In this case, the villains get an extra benefit of killing the Justice League who probably is the reason. Plus, as suggested Brainiac is involved as a reason for why the Justice League is suddenly baddies.
Rocksteady appeared during the stream to share some additional details, including the gameplay which will include Rocksteady's "Superhero, supervillain empowerment" from the Arkham games plus gunplay as these villains are more, well, armed.
Set in an open-world Metropolis, each character "has their own unique moveset with enhanced traversal abilities to freely explore the dynamic open-world of Metropolis, along with a variety of weapons to customize and skills to master."
Suicide Squad will also be a 1 to 4 player experience. Rocksteady says it'll be completely playable in single-player, with bots filling in the role of other three characters. Or load in with three friends as a full, four-player squad.
Furthermore, players will be able to jump in at any time. So, start a game in single-player, have 1 or 2 friends join, maybe a friend leaves, it's all up to you.
Rocksteady teased Suicide Squad with a mysterious image featuring an oddly purple Superman with the Suicide Squad crosshairs over his face, and we speculated on what that teaser and the game's name could mean for Suicide Squad's story and inclusion of DC's biggest characters.
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Since its reveal, Rocksteady has come under scrutiny for allegations of workplace abuse and harassment that the company has yet to release a statement about.
For more on DC FanDome, stay tuned to IGN's complete coverage, including the latest on WB Games Montreal's rumored Batman game.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is slated for release on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. So next-gen consoles only.
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Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League First Trailer, 2022 Release
Rocksteady Studios' Batman: Arkham series followup returns the developer to the world of DC Comics, and now we actually know about what Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League entails. Beyond the obvious, given its title and all. Suicide Squad has a 2022 release window.
Revealed during the game's DC FanDome panel, the first trailer revealed the Suicide Squad roster which includes Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and Kingshark. As the name implies and as revealed in the first trailer, Superman has become evil (or something) and the Suicide Squad is tasked with killing the Justice League.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-game-announcement-trailer-dc-fandome"]
The plot of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League follows closely to the plot of the Suicide Squad comic books. The DC Universe's notorious villains are contracted by the government to form Task Force X and carry out clandestine missions in exchange for a full pardon.
In this case, the villains get an extra benefit of killing the Justice League who probably is the reason. Plus, as suggested Brainiac is involved as a reason for why the Justice League is suddenly baddies.
Rocksteady appeared during the stream to share some additional details, including the gameplay which will include Rocksteady's "Superhero, supervillain empowerment" from the Arkham games plus gunplay as these villains are more, well, armed.
Set in an open-world Metropolis, each character "has their own unique moveset with enhanced traversal abilities to freely explore the dynamic open-world of Metropolis, along with a variety of weapons to customize and skills to master."
Suicide Squad will also be a 1 to 4 player experience. Rocksteady says it'll be completely playable in single-player, with bots filling in the role of other three characters. Or load in with three friends as a full, four-player squad.
Furthermore, players will be able to jump in at any time. So, start a game in single-player, have 1 or 2 friends join, maybe a friend leaves, it's all up to you.
Rocksteady teased Suicide Squad with a mysterious image featuring an oddly purple Superman with the Suicide Squad crosshairs over his face, and we speculated on what that teaser and the game's name could mean for Suicide Squad's story and inclusion of DC's biggest characters.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-trailer-screenshots&captions=true"]
Since its reveal, Rocksteady has come under scrutiny for allegations of workplace abuse and harassment that the company has yet to release a statement about.
For more on DC FanDome, stay tuned to IGN's complete coverage, including the latest on WB Games Montreal's rumored Batman game.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is slated for release on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. So next-gen consoles only.
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Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
The Batman: New Images Revealed
Update: And now the first full trailer for The Batman has been released, which means we have a ton more images to pore over.
Check them all out in the gallery below, and then read on for the original story...
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As fans gear up for The Batman panel at DC FanDome today, Warner Bros. has released three new images of Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman from the upcoming reboot of the Dark Knight's legend, which will be directed by Matt Reeves (War for the Planet of the Apes).
Take a look at them right here, and then check out all of DC FanDome's Biggest and Best Announcements as well as the full DC FanDome Schedule.
[caption id="attachment_239710" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Robert Pattinson as Batman, sans cowl.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_2397108" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Robert Pattinson looking more Bruce Wayne in this shot.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_2397107" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Pattinson in the Batcave, perhaps? Batmobile in the rear![/caption]
Presumably, these images will be part of a trailer for the 2021 The Batman movie. That trailer is expected to hit at the DC FanDome virtual panel today.
Not surprisingly, this looks like a fairly tortured version of Batman, but also perhaps a more realistic take on the character. That shouldn't be too surprising coming from director Reeves, who proved with his two Planet of the Apes movies that he's able to take a pulpy topic and turn it into something very dramatic and grounded.
For more on The Batman, check out The Batman costume camera test and Batmobile photos from the set. Or watch our mini-doc on the Batman: Year One R-Rated reboot that almost was.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/batman-year-one-the-r-rated-reboot-that-almost-was-ft-frank-miller"]
The Batman: New Images Revealed
Update: And now the first full trailer for The Batman has been released, which means we have a ton more images to pore over.
Check them all out in the gallery below, and then read on for the original story...
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-official-trailer-1-stills&captions=true"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
As fans gear up for The Batman panel at DC FanDome today, Warner Bros. has released three new images of Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman from the upcoming reboot of the Dark Knight's legend, which will be directed by Matt Reeves (War for the Planet of the Apes).
Take a look at them right here, and then check out all of DC FanDome's Biggest and Best Announcements as well as the full DC FanDome Schedule.
[caption id="attachment_239710" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Robert Pattinson as Batman, sans cowl.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_2397108" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Robert Pattinson looking more Bruce Wayne in this shot.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_2397107" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Pattinson in the Batcave, perhaps? Batmobile in the rear![/caption]
Presumably, these images will be part of a trailer for the 2021 The Batman movie. That trailer is expected to hit at the DC FanDome virtual panel today.
Not surprisingly, this looks like a fairly tortured version of Batman, but also perhaps a more realistic take on the character. That shouldn't be too surprising coming from director Reeves, who proved with his two Planet of the Apes movies that he's able to take a pulpy topic and turn it into something very dramatic and grounded.
For more on The Batman, check out The Batman costume camera test and Batmobile photos from the set. Or watch our mini-doc on the Batman: Year One R-Rated reboot that almost was.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/batman-year-one-the-r-rated-reboot-that-almost-was-ft-frank-miller"]
Shazam 2 Title Revealed: Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Shazam! stars Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer and others were on hand at DC FanDome to tease what's in store for Shazam 2. While they weren't able to reveal much about the sequel, they did reveal the official title.
Shazam 2 will called Shazam! Fury of the Gods. That suggests we'll be learning much more about the six gods who bestowed their powers on young Billy Batson.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/black-adam-introduces-the-justice-society-of-america-dc-fandome-official-teaser"]
Amusingly, comedian Sinbad also stopped by the panel to poke fun at the tendency for people to confuse Shazam with 1996's Kazaam. Sinbad seemed to tease an actual role in Fury of the Gods, though we're not entirely sure whether he was joking.
The sequel, which is currently scheduled to open November 4, 2022, will reveal what's happened to Billy Batson, Freddy Freeman, and their "Marvel family" of super-powered siblings since we last saw them in the 2019 film -- as well as what the nefarious Doctor Sivana is scheming.
Fans will recall that Shazam!'s post-credits scene revealed the alien Mister Mind visiting Sivana in prison. What was the result of this meeting? Will we see Shazam and the Marvel family square off against Sivana, Mister Mind and the Monster Society of Evil in the sequel?
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While Shazam himself won't be appearing in 2021's Black Adam, that movie will introduce the Justice Society of America. And in other big DC FanDome news, the first trailer for Justice League's Snyder Cut has finally been released.
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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Shazam 2 Title Revealed: Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Shazam! stars Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer and others were on hand at DC FanDome to tease what's in store for Shazam 2. While they weren't able to reveal much about the sequel, they did reveal the official title.
Shazam 2 will called Shazam! Fury of the Gods. That suggests we'll be learning much more about the six gods who bestowed their powers on young Billy Batson.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/black-adam-introduces-the-justice-society-of-america-dc-fandome-official-teaser"]
Amusingly, comedian Sinbad also stopped by the panel to poke fun at the tendency for people to confuse Shazam with 1996's Kazaam. Sinbad seemed to tease an actual role in Fury of the Gods, though we're not entirely sure whether he was joking.
The sequel, which is currently scheduled to open November 4, 2022, will reveal what's happened to Billy Batson, Freddy Freeman, and their "Marvel family" of super-powered siblings since we last saw them in the 2019 film -- as well as what the nefarious Doctor Sivana is scheming.
Fans will recall that Shazam!'s post-credits scene revealed the alien Mister Mind visiting Sivana in prison. What was the result of this meeting? Will we see Shazam and the Marvel family square off against Sivana, Mister Mind and the Monster Society of Evil in the sequel?
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=who-is-the-strongest-hero-in-the-dceu&captions=true"]
While Shazam himself won't be appearing in 2021's Black Adam, that movie will introduce the Justice Society of America. And in other big DC FanDome news, the first trailer for Justice League's Snyder Cut has finally been released.
[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.
Aquaman 2 to Be ‘A Little More Serious’
Aquaman 2 had a brief appearance at DC FanDome, with director James Wan and Aquaman 1 star Patrick Wilson reminiscing on the production of the original film and teasing what's to come in the sequel, which is set for a 2022 release.
Though the sequel hasn't started filming, Wan teased a bit about what viewers can expect in Aquaman 2, which we recently learned will have "a little bit more" of Wan's knack for horror.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/12/21/aquaman-end-credits-explained"]
Wan described the sequel as "a little bit more serious, a little more relevant in the world we're living in today." And as for Wilson's hopes, he said he wanted to see "new worlds," citing Wan's creativity in creating new locales for his films to take viewers. Wan suggested Wilson's hopes will be answered in the sequel, which will feature Ocean Master, Wilson's character, in some fashion, though the two declined to give any plot details.
We have recently learned though about some of the comics inspiration Aquaman 2 will pull from, as well as Wilson's past comments on not expecting Ocean Master to be the sequel's main villain.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=aquaman-movie-photos&captions=true"]
The first Aquaman was released in 2018 and starred Momoa, who reprised the role after his debut as Aquaman in Justice League. The movie also starred Amber Heard as Mera, Willem Dafoe as Vulko, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta. Abdul-Mateen has confirmed he will reprise his role in the sequel.
Stay tuned to IGN for more from DC FanDome's entire schedule, which has included looks at Gotham Knights, Wonder Woman 1984, and Justice League: The Snyder Cut.
Aquaman 2 to Be ‘A Little More Serious’
Aquaman 2 had a brief appearance at DC FanDome, with director James Wan and Aquaman 1 star Patrick Wilson reminiscing on the production of the original film and teasing what's to come in the sequel, which is set for a 2022 release.
Though the sequel hasn't started filming, Wan teased a bit about what viewers can expect in Aquaman 2, which we recently learned will have "a little bit more" of Wan's knack for horror.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/12/21/aquaman-end-credits-explained"]
Wan described the sequel as "a little bit more serious, a little more relevant in the world we're living in today." And as for Wilson's hopes, he said he wanted to see "new worlds," citing Wan's creativity in creating new locales for his films to take viewers. Wan suggested Wilson's hopes will be answered in the sequel, which will feature Ocean Master, Wilson's character, in some fashion, though the two declined to give any plot details.
We have recently learned though about some of the comics inspiration Aquaman 2 will pull from, as well as Wilson's past comments on not expecting Ocean Master to be the sequel's main villain.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=aquaman-movie-photos&captions=true"]
The first Aquaman was released in 2018 and starred Momoa, who reprised the role after his debut as Aquaman in Justice League. The movie also starred Amber Heard as Mera, Willem Dafoe as Vulko, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta. Abdul-Mateen has confirmed he will reprise his role in the sequel.
Stay tuned to IGN for more from DC FanDome's entire schedule, which has included looks at Gotham Knights, Wonder Woman 1984, and Justice League: The Snyder Cut.
Titans: Season 3 Adds Red Hood, Batgirl and Scarecrow
DC Universe's Titans is returning for a third season, and fans got their first taste of what the future holds for the series at DC FanDome. Titans will undergo a major shift in location for Season 3, as the team heads to Gotham City and encounters several major Batman characters.
Curran Walters will return as Jason Todd in Season 3, though he won't be wearing the Robin costume this time around. Instead, Jason will become Red Hood, suggesting he'll have had his fateful run-in with the Joker at some point between Seasons 2 and 3. Season 2 already flirted with the possibility of killing Jason, even invoking the infamous 1-900 poll that led to Jason's death in the comics, but the character was ultimately spared and returned to his normal duties as Batman's sidekick at the end of the season.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/11/16/titans-jason-todd-actor-on-robins-f-bombs-and-batman-relationship"]
Season 3 will also introduce Barbara Gordon, though the role has yet to be cast. In this universe Barbara has given up the mantle of Batgirl in favor of replacing her father as Commissioner of the GCPD. Needless to say, she's not thrilled about being reunited with Dick Grayson and having the Titans stirring up trouble in the city.
Speaking of trouble, it appears that Scarecrow will be one of the major villains of Season 2. This role is also yet to be cast, but we know Dr. Jonathan Crane will take on a Hannibal Lecter-esque role as an Arkham Asylum inmate who consults on difficult cases for the GCPD. It's probably safe to assume Crane will escape and resume tormenting the city with fear gas before Season 3 ends. And we wouldn't be surprised to see Iain Glen reprise his role as Bruce Wayne in Season 3, either.
Season 3 will also deal heavily with the rivalry between Starfire and her sister Blackfire. Blackfire actress Damaris Lewis has been promoted to series regular status for Season 3.
Unfortunately, we don't know when exactly Season 3 will actually debut. As evidenced by the fact that neither Barbara Gordon nor Scarecrow have been cast, the new season hasn't yet entered production and likely won't return until well into 2021 at least. And based on comments from DC Publisher Jim Lee, by that point the series may find its home on HBO Max rather than DC Universe.
Still, these new character reveals will give fans plenty to stew on while we wait for more news. And if you're not familiar with the original Death in the Family storyline that led to Jason's death, DC will soon be turning it into an interactive, animated movie. Both Red Hood and Batgirl will also play central roles in the newly revealed Batman: Gotham Knights game.
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Thanks to an overall stronger second season, Titans was among IGN's nominees for the best comic book TV series of 2019.
To help tide you over until Titans: Season 3 begins, why not check out our retrospective on the history of Robin?
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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.