Disney is developing a sequel to its photorealistic remake of The Lion King, with Moonlight director Barry Jenkins on board to helm the project. According to Deadline, Jeff Nathanson, who scripted the last installment, is returning to write the sequel, which will be a continuation of the 2019 film. While story details are largely being kept under wraps for now, it is understood that The Lion King sequel will "further explore the mythology of the characters" by sticking its claws into Mufasa's origin story. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/02/the-lion-king-the-making-of-disneys-cgi-remake"] Disney hasn't announced a release date for The Lion King follow-up or set out dates for the production schedule as of yet. Developing... [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Microsoft has revealed the next set of Xbox Games With Gold titles that will be free in October and this lineup is designed specifically for the month of Halloween. All Xbox Live Gold members will get access to Xbox One titles Slayaway Camp: Butcher's Cut and Maid of Sker, Xbox 360 game Costume Quest, and original Xbox game Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. Slayaway Camp will be available from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 while Maid of Sker will be available from Oct. 16 through Nov. 15. Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy will be available from Oct. 1 through Oct. 15 and Costume Quest will be available starting Oct. 16 and up until Oct. 31. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/29/xbox-october-2020-games-with-gold-trailer"] Slayaway Camp: Butcher's Cut is an homage to the classic 1980s horror where you play as Skullface, a villainous character set on terrorizing any and all camp counselors and campers at a camp. This isometric slasher-horror game features over 300 puzzles for you to solve. Check out this trailer for the game to get a glimpse at what you can expect. Maid of Sker continues the spooky-themed fun by putting players in a remote hotel with a gory history based on Welsh folklore. Players will need to use stealthy tactics to survive the attacks of sound-based enemies known as the Quiet Ones, which you can get a glimpse of in this gameplay trailer. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=25-scariest-games-of-this-generation&captions=true"] On the backwards compatible side of things, Costume Quest is a game set in the monster-filled neighborhood of Auburn Pines. Your objective is to collect magical costumes and take down the evil that lurks within the area. You can read about why we think the game is great in our Costume Quest review. The final free game this month is original Xbox title Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. You play as Sphinx alongside their friend, the Mummy, as you travel around the world to stop the evil plans of the villainous Set. Read why we think this game is great in our Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy review. If you've got an Xbox Gold subscription active, it's not too late to grab games from Xbox Games With Gold for September; still available are The Division, The Book of Unwritten Tales 2, and Armed and Dangerous. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Microsoft has revealed the next set of Xbox Games With Gold titles that will be free in October and this lineup is designed specifically for the month of Halloween. All Xbox Live Gold members will get access to Xbox One titles Slayaway Camp: Butcher's Cut and Maid of Sker, Xbox 360 game Costume Quest, and original Xbox game Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. Slayaway Camp will be available from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 while Maid of Sker will be available from Oct. 16 through Nov. 15. Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy will be available from Oct. 1 through Oct. 15 and Costume Quest will be available starting Oct. 16 and up until Oct. 31. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/29/xbox-october-2020-games-with-gold-trailer"] Slayaway Camp: Butcher's Cut is an homage to the classic 1980s horror where you play as Skullface, a villainous character set on terrorizing any and all camp counselors and campers at a camp. This isometric slasher-horror game features over 300 puzzles for you to solve. Check out this trailer for the game to get a glimpse at what you can expect. Maid of Sker continues the spooky-themed fun by putting players in a remote hotel with a gory history based on Welsh folklore. Players will need to use stealthy tactics to survive the attacks of sound-based enemies known as the Quiet Ones, which you can get a glimpse of in this gameplay trailer. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=25-scariest-games-of-this-generation&captions=true"] On the backwards compatible side of things, Costume Quest is a game set in the monster-filled neighborhood of Auburn Pines. Your objective is to collect magical costumes and take down the evil that lurks within the area. You can read about why we think the game is great in our Costume Quest review. The final free game this month is original Xbox title Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. You play as Sphinx alongside their friend, the Mummy, as you travel around the world to stop the evil plans of the villainous Set. Read why we think this game is great in our Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy review. If you've got an Xbox Gold subscription active, it's not too late to grab games from Xbox Games With Gold for September; still available are The Division, The Book of Unwritten Tales 2, and Armed and Dangerous. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Prehistoric Kingdom, the upcoming theme park management game that asks you to design, create, manage, and grow a zoo for dinosaurs and other extinct animals, is heading to Steam early access in Q2 2021. Developer Blue Meridian and publisher Crytivo have released a first glimpse of what you can expect in bringing these long-extinct animals back to nature. The exclusive first-look trailer above features famed zoologist and nature host Nigel Marven, who provides voice-over narration for an authentic documentary-style overview, while showing off a few of the many animals and habitats you'll create. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=prehistoric-kingdom-screenshot-gallery&captions=true"] Prehistoric Kingdom will release into early access with 22 animals, including Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Lambeosaurus, Styracosaurus, Mammuthus, Smilodon, and Coelodonta, with more coming after release. To house all those creatures, you'll be able to terraform your park to transform biomes like grassland, tropical, wetland, coastal, and more, while adding modular and pre-built buildings to attract customers, all while balancing the health of the animals with the happiness of your visitors. To celebrate the early access announcement, Blue Meridian will conduct a live stream on September 30 at 10am PDT, which you can watch on the Crytivo Twitch channel, and you can check out the Prehistoric Kingdom official site and steam page for more information. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Brandin Tyrrel is a Senior Editor at IGN. You can find him on Unlocked, or chat over on Twitter at @BrandinTyrrel.

Prehistoric Kingdom, the upcoming theme park management game that asks you to design, create, manage, and grow a zoo for dinosaurs and other extinct animals, is heading to Steam early access in Q2 2021. Developer Blue Meridian and publisher Crytivo have released a first glimpse of what you can expect in bringing these long-extinct animals back to nature. The exclusive first-look trailer above features famed zoologist and nature host Nigel Marven, who provides voice-over narration for an authentic documentary-style overview, while showing off a few of the many animals and habitats you'll create. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=prehistoric-kingdom-screenshot-gallery&captions=true"] Prehistoric Kingdom will release into early access with 22 animals, including Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Lambeosaurus, Styracosaurus, Mammuthus, Smilodon, and Coelodonta, with more coming after release. To house all those creatures, you'll be able to terraform your park to transform biomes like grassland, tropical, wetland, coastal, and more, while adding modular and pre-built buildings to attract customers, all while balancing the health of the animals with the happiness of your visitors. To celebrate the early access announcement, Blue Meridian will conduct a live stream on September 30 at 10am PDT, which you can watch on the Crytivo Twitch channel, and you can check out the Prehistoric Kingdom official site and steam page for more information. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Brandin Tyrrel is a Senior Editor at IGN. You can find him on Unlocked, or chat over on Twitter at @BrandinTyrrel.

This week in Red Dead Online, stalk the Legendary Snowflake Moose and Knight Moose, claim special login bonuses, and more.

This week in Red Dead Online, stalk the Legendary Snowflake Moose and Knight Moose, claim special login bonuses, and more.

David S. Goyer, the writer/co-writer for such films as Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, will be the executive producer on Spotify's Batman Unburied, an audio drama that will "explore the darker aspects of Bruce Wayne's psychology." Batman Unburied will debut on Spotify in 2021 and is the first original narrative from Spotify, Warner Bros. and DC's multi-year partnership to produce and distribute an original slate of narrative scripted podcasts. Goyer originated the story and, as previously mentioned, will serve as executive producer, which is being developed by Goyer's Phantom Four production company in association with Warner Bros.' Blue Ribbon Content. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ranking-the-batman-movies&captions=true"] “I’ve been a fan of narrative podcasts for some time and was looking for the right story — returning to Batman seems like the perfect opportunity,” said Goyer. “We’ll be using the unique advantages of audio to dig into the more nightmarish members of the Dark Knight’s Rogues Gallery.” Goyer, since his involvements in Nolan's Batman trilogy, co-wrote Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, wrote Man of Steel, and is currently executive producing the upcoming Netflix/Warner Bros. television drama series based on Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/27/the-dark-knight-how-heath-ledgers-joker-was-born"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

David S. Goyer, the writer/co-writer for such films as Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, will be the executive producer on Spotify's Batman Unburied, an audio drama that will "explore the darker aspects of Bruce Wayne's psychology." Batman Unburied will debut on Spotify in 2021 and is the first original narrative from Spotify, Warner Bros. and DC's multi-year partnership to produce and distribute an original slate of narrative scripted podcasts. Goyer originated the story and, as previously mentioned, will serve as executive producer, which is being developed by Goyer's Phantom Four production company in association with Warner Bros.' Blue Ribbon Content. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ranking-the-batman-movies&captions=true"] “I’ve been a fan of narrative podcasts for some time and was looking for the right story — returning to Batman seems like the perfect opportunity,” said Goyer. “We’ll be using the unique advantages of audio to dig into the more nightmarish members of the Dark Knight’s Rogues Gallery.” Goyer, since his involvements in Nolan's Batman trilogy, co-wrote Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, wrote Man of Steel, and is currently executive producing the upcoming Netflix/Warner Bros. television drama series based on Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/27/the-dark-knight-how-heath-ledgers-joker-was-born"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Disney has officially added the GroupWatch option to the Disney+ platform in the United States after testing the co-viewing feature in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand earlier this month. The GroupWatch feature allows up to seven Disney+ subscribers to sync streams and watch content together, even when apart. Disney's watch party experience is available on all titles in the Disney+ library across several platforms, including web browsers, mobile apps, connected TV boxes and smart TVs. When initiating GroupWatch on a Premier Access title, all participants must have paid for that title. [caption id="attachment_2413770" align="alignnone" width="1707"] Image credit: Disney[/caption] Variety notes that the new GroupWatch feature doesn't include a text chat option, which Disney says has been omitted from the design in an effort to stop viewers from becoming distracted and missing parts of the main event, though participants are invited to share "real-time reactions" with six different emojis available through the Disney+ app. Disney+ subscribers can invite other users to a GroupWatch party via a new icon that is located on the "Details" page of a Disney+ movie or TV series. However, it's important to note that invitations can only "originate from mobile or web," but once the invitations have been sent out to the selected parties, users can join the session from any streaming device or smart TV.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/17/the-mandalorian-season-2-trailer-breakdown"]

The GroupWatch feature is available to all Disney+ subscribers in the US (with the exception of kids' accounts), and each participant in the streaming session can pause, rewind or fast forward video playback for the whole group, including the host. Sadly, European subscribers will have to wait a bit longer to trial the new feature, as it is expected to be rolled out sometime later this fall in that market.

For those that already have access to the GroupWatch feature, start filling up your virtual watch party calendar with our rundown of everything that is coming to Disney+ in October, including the second season of The Mandalorian. Season 2 is set to debut on the platform on October 30 with a whole new cast of scum and villainy, as well as some faithful favourites and one particularly notable scene-stealer.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disney-plus-spotlight-october-2020&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.