Monthly Archives: September 2020
Borderlands 3 Owners Get Free PS5, Xbox Series X Upgrades
Borderlands 3 fans will have plenty to look forward to through 2020 and beyond, as Gearbox Software and 2K announced new content and next-gen plans for the acclaimed Borderlands sequel.
Announced during the company's PAX Online 2020 showcase, Gearbox confirmed that Borderlands is coming to both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. And, if you own the game on current-gen consoles, you'll receive a free upgrade to the respective next-gen version, and be able to carry across all saves and additional purchases.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/10/borderlands-3-psycho-krieg-and-the-fantastic-fustercluck-dlc-review"]
The next-gen versions run at 60 fps at 4K resolution on both next-gen systems in single-player. And the arrival of these next-gen versions will also bring two requested features that will be available to PS4 and Xbox One players via a free patch: Four-player splitscreen, and the option to do vertical splitscreen in two-player co-op.
Meanwhile, Gearbox also confirmed additional DLC coming later this year. While the next paid DLC won't be similar to the campaign DLCs that have been part of the season pass, it will include both a new game mode and a new skill tree for each Vault Hunter, which also means new Action Skills.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=top-10-borderlands-dlc-of-all-time&captions=true"]
Gearbox showcased FL4k's new Trapper skill tree, a more defensive-minded skill tree that focuses on shields and survivability, while FL4K's new Action Skill is Gravity Snare. This throwable trap sends enemies skyward before they're slammed into the ground. FL4K will also have a new pet option, the Hyperion Loaderbot, which can be be customized toward other a far-ranged ION Loader, a more close-quarters BUL Loader, and the firepower-focused WAR Loader.
IGN's Borderlands 3 review called the base game "a high-point for the series – and the genre as a whole."
Since its release, Gearbox has released several DLC expansions as part of the Borderlands 3 season pass, including the most recent Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck DLC.
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Borderlands 3 Owners Get Free PS5, Xbox Series X Upgrades
Borderlands 3 fans will have plenty to look forward to through 2020 and beyond, as Gearbox Software and 2K announced new content and next-gen plans for the acclaimed Borderlands sequel.
Announced during the company's PAX Online 2020 showcase, Gearbox confirmed that Borderlands is coming to both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. And, if you own the game on current-gen consoles, you'll receive a free upgrade to the respective next-gen version, and be able to carry across all saves and additional purchases.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/10/borderlands-3-psycho-krieg-and-the-fantastic-fustercluck-dlc-review"]
The next-gen versions run at 60 fps at 4K resolution on both next-gen systems in single-player. And the arrival of these next-gen versions will also bring two requested features that will be available to PS4 and Xbox One players via a free patch: Four-player splitscreen, and the option to do vertical splitscreen in two-player co-op.
Meanwhile, Gearbox also confirmed additional DLC coming later this year. While the next paid DLC won't be similar to the campaign DLCs that have been part of the season pass, it will include both a new game mode and a new skill tree for each Vault Hunter, which also means new Action Skills.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=top-10-borderlands-dlc-of-all-time&captions=true"]
Gearbox showcased FL4k's new Trapper skill tree, a more defensive-minded skill tree that focuses on shields and survivability, while FL4K's new Action Skill is Gravity Snare. This throwable trap sends enemies skyward before they're slammed into the ground. FL4K will also have a new pet option, the Hyperion Loaderbot, which can be be customized toward other a far-ranged ION Loader, a more close-quarters BUL Loader, and the firepower-focused WAR Loader.
IGN's Borderlands 3 review called the base game "a high-point for the series – and the genre as a whole."
Since its release, Gearbox has released several DLC expansions as part of the Borderlands 3 season pass, including the most recent Psycho Krieg and the Fantastic Fustercluck DLC.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Chris Hemsworth Praises Script for Thor: Love and Thunder
As Marvel's Thor: Love and Thunder moves closer to its production start, star Chris Hemsworth recently revealed how much fun he had reading the screenplay by director Taika Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. More fun, in fact, than he had reading the script for Thor: Ragnarok.
In an interview with Poland’s Elle Man, Hemsworth said [translated] "I can’t reveal anything about the plot, but to satisfy your curiosity, I will say that reading the script I had a lot more fun than on Thor Ragnarok, and that shows something because that movie was brilliant.”
Hemsworth also said “After reading the script, I can say that I am very excited. For sure in this production, there will be a lot of love and a lot of lightning. I’m glad that after everything that happened in Avengers: Endgame, I’m still part of the Marvel Universe and we can continue the story of Thor.”
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=thor-love-and-thunder-6-characters-christian-bale-could-play&captions=true"]
Christian Bale was cast as the villain in Love and Thunder, though there's been no official news on who the character is exactly.
Thor: Love and Thunder was originally slated to hit theaters in 2021 but it has been pushed back several times since that initial announcement. The movie is now scheduled for release on February 11, 2022. In the meantime, check out our in-depth explainer on Jane Foster and Thor: Goddess of Thunder.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/13/thor-love-and-thunder-breaking-down-taika-waititis-crazy-clues-ign-now"]
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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.
Chris Hemsworth Praises Script for Thor: Love and Thunder
As Marvel's Thor: Love and Thunder moves closer to its production start, star Chris Hemsworth recently revealed how much fun he had reading the screenplay by director Taika Waititi and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. More fun, in fact, than he had reading the script for Thor: Ragnarok.
In an interview with Poland’s Elle Man, Hemsworth said [translated] "I can’t reveal anything about the plot, but to satisfy your curiosity, I will say that reading the script I had a lot more fun than on Thor Ragnarok, and that shows something because that movie was brilliant.”
Hemsworth also said “After reading the script, I can say that I am very excited. For sure in this production, there will be a lot of love and a lot of lightning. I’m glad that after everything that happened in Avengers: Endgame, I’m still part of the Marvel Universe and we can continue the story of Thor.”
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=thor-love-and-thunder-6-characters-christian-bale-could-play&captions=true"]
Christian Bale was cast as the villain in Love and Thunder, though there's been no official news on who the character is exactly.
Thor: Love and Thunder was originally slated to hit theaters in 2021 but it has been pushed back several times since that initial announcement. The movie is now scheduled for release on February 11, 2022. In the meantime, check out our in-depth explainer on Jane Foster and Thor: Goddess of Thunder.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/13/thor-love-and-thunder-breaking-down-taika-waititis-crazy-clues-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.
Young Justice: Season 4 Title Revealed
During Day 2 of DC FanDome, at the virtual Young Justice panel, series EP Greg Weisman revealed the title for the upcoming fourth season.
While there's currently no ETA on Season 4, fans learned that the new batch of Young Justice episodes will be called Young Justice: Phantoms.
Aside from this news, the panel also featured Weisman, EP Brandon Vietti, and cast members Khary Payton, Nolan North, Danica McKellar, Crispin Freeman, Stephy Lems, and Denise Boutte performing a new "canon to the series" audio play that's set between Season 3 and 4 called "The Prize." Written by Weisman, the play provides an early glimpse into the new season by setting up events that eventually play out further in Young Justice: Phantoms.
You can check out full audio play from the FanDome Young Justice panel here.
Here's a look at the Young Justice: Phantoms logo...
Our review of the Young Justice: Outsiders finale said the season managed "to tie up a number of loose threads and end various character arcs in clever and often surprising ways...delivering a strong finish to what may well be the best season of Young Justice yet." While Young Justice was renewed for Season 4 last summer, for DC Universe, it was revealed last month that all of DC Universe's originals were moving to HBO Max. Doom Patrol, which originated on DC Universe, had its second season simulcast on HBO Max, while the first two seasons of DCU's animated series Harley Quinn recently made their way to the service. Doom Patrol was also just picked up for a third season on HBO Max. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&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.Season four of #YoungJustice gets a PHANTASTIC new title: YOUNG JUSTICE: PHANTOMS! https://t.co/5Jz1DMy3JU #DCFanDome pic.twitter.com/PssIl3COh7
— Robert Pietranton (@robertpie) September 12, 2020
Young Justice: Season 4 Title Revealed
During Day 2 of DC FanDome, at the virtual Young Justice panel, series EP Greg Weisman revealed the title for the upcoming fourth season.
While there's currently no ETA on Season 4, fans learned that the new batch of Young Justice episodes will be called Young Justice: Phantoms.
Aside from this news, the panel also featured Weisman, EP Brandon Vietti, and cast members Khary Payton, Nolan North, Danica McKellar, Crispin Freeman, Stephy Lems, and Denise Boutte performing a new "canon to the series" audio play that's set between Season 3 and 4 called "The Prize." Written by Weisman, the play provides an early glimpse into the new season by setting up events that eventually play out further in Young Justice: Phantoms.
You can check out full audio play from the FanDome Young Justice panel here.
Here's a look at the Young Justice: Phantoms logo...
Our review of the Young Justice: Outsiders finale said the season managed "to tie up a number of loose threads and end various character arcs in clever and often surprising ways...delivering a strong finish to what may well be the best season of Young Justice yet." While Young Justice was renewed for Season 4 last summer, for DC Universe, it was revealed last month that all of DC Universe's originals were moving to HBO Max. Doom Patrol, which originated on DC Universe, had its second season simulcast on HBO Max, while the first two seasons of DCU's animated series Harley Quinn recently made their way to the service. Doom Patrol was also just picked up for a third season on HBO Max. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&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.Season four of #YoungJustice gets a PHANTASTIC new title: YOUNG JUSTICE: PHANTOMS! https://t.co/5Jz1DMy3JU #DCFanDome pic.twitter.com/PssIl3COh7
— Robert Pietranton (@robertpie) September 12, 2020
Superman & Lois TV Series Will Introduce a New Superman Suit
Superman & Lois will balance the story of an unusual nuclear family with supervillain action setpieces - and feature a brand new Superman suit design.
Revealed in a panel at DC FanDome: Enter the Multiverse, DC Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee, executive producer Todd Helbing, and actors Tyler Hoechlin (Superman) and Elizabeth Tulloch (Lois) discussed the upcoming CW series.
According to Helbing, the series will be, "A story that is really as grounded as it can possibly be to have Superman in it," focusing on the lives of a married Clark Kent and Lois Lane, as well as their two teenage sons (who have been written into the show following the CW superhero shows' Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event).
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/28/superman-and-lois-tv-show-in-the-works-at-the-cw-ign-now"]
The family has moved to Smallville after a "tragic" event - which the cast and crew won't reveal yet - where they find it easier to raise kids.
However, it doesn't sound like this is entirely a family drama. Lee explained that this is "More than just a show about this new, unusual nuclear family," and teased that we'll still get action-packed, set-piece-filled stories of superheroes and supervillains.
In order to help that more action-oriented side, the show will also see Clark Kent don a brand new Superman suit design. While we've not been shown the new suit in action, Helbing described it as "really badass."
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=crisis-on-infinite-earths-aftermath-all-the-ways-the-arrowverse-has-changed&captions=true"]
Superman & Lois is due to premiere in 2021.
For more on DC FanDome, check out IGN's guide to the full DC FanDome schedule and how to watch Explore the Multiverse, and find out all the biggest announcements from the first FanDome. Plus, read our interview with DC boss Jim Lee on how to navigate DC FanDome and what to expect from Day 2.
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Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Superman & Lois TV Series Will Introduce a New Superman Suit
Superman & Lois will balance the story of an unusual nuclear family with supervillain action setpieces - and feature a brand new Superman suit design.
Revealed in a panel at DC FanDome: Enter the Multiverse, DC Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee, executive producer Todd Helbing, and actors Tyler Hoechlin (Superman) and Elizabeth Tulloch (Lois) discussed the upcoming CW series.
According to Helbing, the series will be, "A story that is really as grounded as it can possibly be to have Superman in it," focusing on the lives of a married Clark Kent and Lois Lane, as well as their two teenage sons (who have been written into the show following the CW superhero shows' Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event).
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/28/superman-and-lois-tv-show-in-the-works-at-the-cw-ign-now"]
The family has moved to Smallville after a "tragic" event - which the cast and crew won't reveal yet - where they find it easier to raise kids.
However, it doesn't sound like this is entirely a family drama. Lee explained that this is "More than just a show about this new, unusual nuclear family," and teased that we'll still get action-packed, set-piece-filled stories of superheroes and supervillains.
In order to help that more action-oriented side, the show will also see Clark Kent don a brand new Superman suit design. While we've not been shown the new suit in action, Helbing described it as "really badass."
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=crisis-on-infinite-earths-aftermath-all-the-ways-the-arrowverse-has-changed&captions=true"]
Superman & Lois is due to premiere in 2021.
For more on DC FanDome, check out IGN's guide to the full DC FanDome schedule and how to watch Explore the Multiverse, and find out all the biggest announcements from the first FanDome. Plus, read our interview with DC boss Jim Lee on how to navigate DC FanDome and what to expect from Day 2.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Pennyworth Season 2 Will Introduce Lucius Fox and a Martha Wayne Pregnancy
Production is back underway for Pennyworth Season 2 in the UK under the new COVID-19 safety guidelines, and the cast and executive producers revealed some tantalizing tidbits about what's ahead during the show's panel at DC FanDome Day 2, moderated by IGN's Laura Prudom (hey, that's me!). Check out the full list of DC FanDome panels and how to watch them on our schedule.
The biggest news out of the panel was the impending introduction of iconic Batman character Lucius Fox, although creator and showrunner Bruno Heller also noted, "there’s little bits of Batman stuff that’s coming in that I don’t want to talk about because that stuff is best left as a surprise and those who get it, get it, and those who don’t, don’t," so keep your eyes peeled throughout Season 2.
After the panel, Heller shared a few more details with IGN about Lucius Fox, revealing in our exclusive interview that he'll make his first appearance in episode 4 of Pennyworth Season 2.
"He comes in very unexpectedly, not in a role or a situation you'd expect to find him in," Heller told IGN. "And it's been really fun writing him as a character because he's one of those characters that, like Alfred himself, has got a rich canonical history. Great people have played him. And so it's cheating, really, because there's already a weight to the character. So you have to find a way of living up to expectations and surprising people at the same time and making him consonant with all the great portrayals that have come before."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/12/dcs-pennyworth-official-trailer"]
Casting for the role of Lucius Fox is still underway, but Heller did say "we're going to cast someone consonant with the goodness and the richness of the history of that character."
Season 2 starts a year after the events of the Season 1 finale, and, as Heller explained during our interview, "Lord Harwood is running a fascist regime, that essentially [has taken over] one half, most of the country. London is under siege. And so it's a bit like ... Well, there's any number of historical references, but the Siege of Barcelona: this one city that is the only hope left for the good guys, is holding out against a much larger, much more powerful force. And Martha is a fighter in that battle, kind of a street-fighting woman. Her almost-lover Thomas comes back with far more responsibility than he had when he left. He's been made CIA Station Chief ... It's a kind of careerist move, but it intensifies the conflict he feels between what he knows is right, and what he can see is being presented to him as policy he has to follow."
The other bombshell that Heller dropped during the panel also related to the future Thomas and Martha Wayne: "This season, Martha gets pregnant."
Since Thomas and Martha aren't even married yet - and are apparently embroiled in a civil war for the fate of England - we're guessing that the bun in Martha's oven won't turn out to be a Bat - but it will certainly create further complications in their relationship.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-official-trailer-1-stills&captions=true"]
"Because of both of their roles, the conflict that was kind implicit in their relationship, but was almost comical, is now deadly serious because he's CIA Station Chief and she's a confidante of the [No Name] League leadership," Heller told IGN. "And she does know things and she is doing things that the CIA wants to know about. And then the CIA does things ... he's forced into doing things that really turn her against him as a moral being. But at the same time, they're falling in love with each other. In wartime, those kinds of relationships, strange things happen and things happen very fast and intensely. So on the one hand, it's a slow boil. On the other hand, it's a flashpoint in their relationship."
Alfred, meanwhile, is playing a role similar to that of Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, Heller previewed: "Alfie's running a club called Delaney's, which is essentially like Rick's in Casablanca, the one place in town where there's a neutral zone in the center of London ... [where] everyone meets to do business. So he's at the calm center of the storm, as it were. And part of being that calm center of the storm is he takes no sides."
Of course, Heller added, "inevitably, he's drawn back into the conflict. He is simply there trying to raise enough money to get out of London and get to America. He's decided, after killing his father, London has very few charms for him. His mum doesn't want to leave, but he's desperate to leave. And everything that happens to him follows from that desire to get out and the difficulty of doing so."
For viewers who were fascinated by Alfie's unlikely romance with the Queen in Season 1, Heller promised more on that front. "The Queen is back, absolutely. Alfie's not a good boyfriend, I'll put it that way, and their relationship reflects that. And we did play that out, but she's also now a Queen in wartime and has taken on a more serious and essential, hands-on role in running the country because it's the last resort. They're in the last redoubt."
We can also expect Alfie to be embroiled in another "ill-advised, noir-ish kind of romance," Heller said, despite the loss of Esme in Season 1.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-trailer"]
As for the scene-stealing Bet Sykes, Heller told us, "The people around Lord Harwood really didn't want the Sykes sisters hanging around because it's not a good look. She's too much of a loose cannon. So she's been promoted. She's working in a Raven interrogation center. And she meets someone there that... I don't want to say too much because you know the best thing about Bet's stories is they're always surprising. But she falls in love, in her way, and that leads her to do dangerous things."
Heller also shared a little about the process of working under the new COVID safety guidelines, and how the break has affected both the writing and filming process.
"It's very rare that you get a chance to really work on something as I've been able to do. I have all 10 written... I'm laughing because I confess, after all this time, I'm still... I was about to say 'mucking about' with nine and 10, but that's not what I'm doing. I'm bearing down on them extremely hard in a novelistic kind of way," he told IGN with a chuckle. "But of course, the work stretches to fit. If it had gone on for another year, that lockdown, I'd still be fiddling around with episode 10. But this lockdown and actually the process of filming in this way has its bonuses because there's more of a premium on simple communication and talking stuff through. It's a simpler process in many ways."
In terms of filming, Heller said, despite the months-long break, "We kind of picked up where we left off as if nothing had happened. Everyone is so happy to be back to work, and the process is so intensely focused because you have to be mindful. I'm sure it's the same with everybody's work. Some things become much more pure and simple."
No release date has been announced yet for Epix's Pennyworth Season 2, but stay tuned to IGN for more updates. In the meantime, check out the biggest announcements and reveals from Day 1 of DC FanDome, including the first trailer for The Batman, a closer look at Zack Snyder's Cut of Justice League, the full cast reveal of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, and what we can expect from the Black Adam movie starring The Rock.
Plus, learn about Legends of Tomorrow's new Season 6 hero, the new Superman costume that will debut in The CW's upcoming Superman and Lois series, and the good news about Doom Patrol's Season 3 renewal.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&captions=true"]
Pennyworth Season 2 Will Introduce Lucius Fox and a Martha Wayne Pregnancy
Production is back underway for Pennyworth Season 2 in the UK under the new COVID-19 safety guidelines, and the cast and executive producers revealed some tantalizing tidbits about what's ahead during the show's panel at DC FanDome Day 2, moderated by IGN's Laura Prudom (hey, that's me!). Check out the full list of DC FanDome panels and how to watch them on our schedule.
The biggest news out of the panel was the impending introduction of iconic Batman character Lucius Fox, although creator and showrunner Bruno Heller also noted, "there’s little bits of Batman stuff that’s coming in that I don’t want to talk about because that stuff is best left as a surprise and those who get it, get it, and those who don’t, don’t," so keep your eyes peeled throughout Season 2.
After the panel, Heller shared a few more details with IGN about Lucius Fox, revealing in our exclusive interview that he'll make his first appearance in episode 4 of Pennyworth Season 2.
"He comes in very unexpectedly, not in a role or a situation you'd expect to find him in," Heller told IGN. "And it's been really fun writing him as a character because he's one of those characters that, like Alfred himself, has got a rich canonical history. Great people have played him. And so it's cheating, really, because there's already a weight to the character. So you have to find a way of living up to expectations and surprising people at the same time and making him consonant with all the great portrayals that have come before."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/12/dcs-pennyworth-official-trailer"]
Casting for the role of Lucius Fox is still underway, but Heller did say "we're going to cast someone consonant with the goodness and the richness of the history of that character."
Season 2 starts a year after the events of the Season 1 finale, and, as Heller explained during our interview, "Lord Harwood is running a fascist regime, that essentially [has taken over] one half, most of the country. London is under siege. And so it's a bit like ... Well, there's any number of historical references, but the Siege of Barcelona: this one city that is the only hope left for the good guys, is holding out against a much larger, much more powerful force. And Martha is a fighter in that battle, kind of a street-fighting woman. Her almost-lover Thomas comes back with far more responsibility than he had when he left. He's been made CIA Station Chief ... It's a kind of careerist move, but it intensifies the conflict he feels between what he knows is right, and what he can see is being presented to him as policy he has to follow."
The other bombshell that Heller dropped during the panel also related to the future Thomas and Martha Wayne: "This season, Martha gets pregnant."
Since Thomas and Martha aren't even married yet - and are apparently embroiled in a civil war for the fate of England - we're guessing that the bun in Martha's oven won't turn out to be a Bat - but it will certainly create further complications in their relationship.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-official-trailer-1-stills&captions=true"]
"Because of both of their roles, the conflict that was kind implicit in their relationship, but was almost comical, is now deadly serious because he's CIA Station Chief and she's a confidante of the [No Name] League leadership," Heller told IGN. "And she does know things and she is doing things that the CIA wants to know about. And then the CIA does things ... he's forced into doing things that really turn her against him as a moral being. But at the same time, they're falling in love with each other. In wartime, those kinds of relationships, strange things happen and things happen very fast and intensely. So on the one hand, it's a slow boil. On the other hand, it's a flashpoint in their relationship."
Alfred, meanwhile, is playing a role similar to that of Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, Heller previewed: "Alfie's running a club called Delaney's, which is essentially like Rick's in Casablanca, the one place in town where there's a neutral zone in the center of London ... [where] everyone meets to do business. So he's at the calm center of the storm, as it were. And part of being that calm center of the storm is he takes no sides."
Of course, Heller added, "inevitably, he's drawn back into the conflict. He is simply there trying to raise enough money to get out of London and get to America. He's decided, after killing his father, London has very few charms for him. His mum doesn't want to leave, but he's desperate to leave. And everything that happens to him follows from that desire to get out and the difficulty of doing so."
For viewers who were fascinated by Alfie's unlikely romance with the Queen in Season 1, Heller promised more on that front. "The Queen is back, absolutely. Alfie's not a good boyfriend, I'll put it that way, and their relationship reflects that. And we did play that out, but she's also now a Queen in wartime and has taken on a more serious and essential, hands-on role in running the country because it's the last resort. They're in the last redoubt."
We can also expect Alfie to be embroiled in another "ill-advised, noir-ish kind of romance," Heller said, despite the loss of Esme in Season 1.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-trailer"]
As for the scene-stealing Bet Sykes, Heller told us, "The people around Lord Harwood really didn't want the Sykes sisters hanging around because it's not a good look. She's too much of a loose cannon. So she's been promoted. She's working in a Raven interrogation center. And she meets someone there that... I don't want to say too much because you know the best thing about Bet's stories is they're always surprising. But she falls in love, in her way, and that leads her to do dangerous things."
Heller also shared a little about the process of working under the new COVID safety guidelines, and how the break has affected both the writing and filming process.
"It's very rare that you get a chance to really work on something as I've been able to do. I have all 10 written... I'm laughing because I confess, after all this time, I'm still... I was about to say 'mucking about' with nine and 10, but that's not what I'm doing. I'm bearing down on them extremely hard in a novelistic kind of way," he told IGN with a chuckle. "But of course, the work stretches to fit. If it had gone on for another year, that lockdown, I'd still be fiddling around with episode 10. But this lockdown and actually the process of filming in this way has its bonuses because there's more of a premium on simple communication and talking stuff through. It's a simpler process in many ways."
In terms of filming, Heller said, despite the months-long break, "We kind of picked up where we left off as if nothing had happened. Everyone is so happy to be back to work, and the process is so intensely focused because you have to be mindful. I'm sure it's the same with everybody's work. Some things become much more pure and simple."
No release date has been announced yet for Epix's Pennyworth Season 2, but stay tuned to IGN for more updates. In the meantime, check out the biggest announcements and reveals from Day 1 of DC FanDome, including the first trailer for The Batman, a closer look at Zack Snyder's Cut of Justice League, the full cast reveal of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, and what we can expect from the Black Adam movie starring The Rock.
Plus, learn about Legends of Tomorrow's new Season 6 hero, the new Superman costume that will debut in The CW's upcoming Superman and Lois series, and the good news about Doom Patrol's Season 3 renewal.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&captions=true"]