Monthly Archives: February 2021
Activision Sued for Allegedly Stealing Call of Duty Character’s Likeness
Activision, Infinity Ward, and Major League Gaming Corp. (MLG) have all been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit that claims the companies were responsible for making a direct copy of a character for use in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
As reported by TorrentFreak, the plaintiff of the lawsuit, Clayton Haugen, alleges that the design of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's Mara character was stolen from Haugen's Cade Janus, a central figure in his story November Renaissance.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1151"]
Image Credit: Torrent Freak[/caption]
In 2017, Haugen hired actress, cosplayer, and Twitch streamer Alex Zedra to portray Cade Janus, and he took a series of photographs of her and his story to film studios in hopes of making November Renaissance into a film. The photos were also posted on Instagram and in a series of calendars.
While developing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, these companies hired Alex Zedra to help create a "strong, skilled female fighter" for the game. Furthermore, Haugen claims they also asked her to obtain the same clothing and gear used in the Cade Janus photoshoot.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="891"]
Image Credit: Torrent Freak[/caption]
The same makeup artist for the Cade Janus shoots was also hired and was instructed to not only recreate the look, but even use "the same hair extension piece." Haugen also claims the original photographs were posted to "the wall of the studio" and "were used as a framing guide before the model was 3D scanned."
“To conceal their planned infringement of Haugen’s Cade Janus Photographs and his Cade Janus character, Defendants required the talent and the makeup professional to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements,” the complaint notes. "The resulting photographs were intended to be, and were, copies of Haugen’s Cade Janus Photographs."
Not only were the resulting photographs and 3D images used to develop the character known as Mara, they were also "deployed as key assets in Modern Warfare's marketing campaign."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/03/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-official-season-one-trailer"]
“Haugen is entitled to recover all monetary remedies from Defendants’ infringement, including all of their profits attributable to their infringements, to the full extent permitted by 17 U.S.C. § 504,” the complaint concludes, demanding a trial by jury.
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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.
Image Credit: Torrent Freak[/caption]
In 2017, Haugen hired actress, cosplayer, and Twitch streamer Alex Zedra to portray Cade Janus, and he took a series of photographs of her and his story to film studios in hopes of making November Renaissance into a film. The photos were also posted on Instagram and in a series of calendars.
While developing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, these companies hired Alex Zedra to help create a "strong, skilled female fighter" for the game. Furthermore, Haugen claims they also asked her to obtain the same clothing and gear used in the Cade Janus photoshoot.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="891"] Image Credit: Torrent Freak[/caption]
The same makeup artist for the Cade Janus shoots was also hired and was instructed to not only recreate the look, but even use "the same hair extension piece." Haugen also claims the original photographs were posted to "the wall of the studio" and "were used as a framing guide before the model was 3D scanned."
“To conceal their planned infringement of Haugen’s Cade Janus Photographs and his Cade Janus character, Defendants required the talent and the makeup professional to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements,” the complaint notes. "The resulting photographs were intended to be, and were, copies of Haugen’s Cade Janus Photographs."
Not only were the resulting photographs and 3D images used to develop the character known as Mara, they were also "deployed as key assets in Modern Warfare's marketing campaign."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/03/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-official-season-one-trailer"]
“Haugen is entitled to recover all monetary remedies from Defendants’ infringement, including all of their profits attributable to their infringements, to the full extent permitted by 17 U.S.C. § 504,” the complaint concludes, demanding a trial by jury.
[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.Complete List of the 27th SAG Awards Nominations
The nominees for the 27th Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced, with both Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Minari leading the film category.
Following the Golden Globe Nominations, Lily Collins and Daveed Diggs announced the nominees for the 2021 SAG Awards live on the event's Instagram page on Thursday. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Minari picked up three nominations apiece, including Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Da 5 Bloods, One Night in Miami, and The Trial of the Chicago 7 also featured in this category.
Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in August of last year, received posthumous SAG Awards nominations for his leading performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and his supporting role in Da 5 Bloods. Boseman received further nods because both movies also appeared in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast category. Viola Davis also received a nomination for her role in Netflix's Ma Rainey.
Meanwhile, The Crown and Schitt's Creek led the TV nominations, scoring five nominations each. Both shows appeared in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble category for their respective genres. Ozark followed closely behind with four nominations whilst Dead to Me picked up two. Bridgerton also received recognition with a Drama Ensemble nomination and acting nod for Regé-Jean Page.
As a distributor, Netflix topped the list with 30 of its titles nominated across the board, including 13 in the film category and 17 on the television side of the proceedings.
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The complete list of 2021 SAG nominees follows:
Motion Picture Honors
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role- Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
- Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Steven Yeun, Minari
- Anthony Hopkins, The Father
- Gary Oldman, Mank
- Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
- Amy Adams, Hillbilly Eulogy
- Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
- Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Frances McDormand, Nomadland
- Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods
- Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami
- Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
- Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
- Jared Leto, The Little Things
- Maria Bakalova, Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm
- Youn Yuh-jung, Minari
- Olivia Colman, The Father
- Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
- Helena Zengel, News of the World
- Da 5 Bloods
- Minari
- Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- One Night in Miami
- The Trial of the Chicago 7
Television, Cable and New Media Program Honors
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series- Hugh Grant, The Undoing
- Ethan Hawke, The Good Lord Bird
- Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
- Bill Camp, The Queen's Gambit
- Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
- Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
- Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You
- Nicole Kidman, The Undoing
- Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit
- Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere
- Jason Bateman, Ozark
- Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
- Josh O'Connor, The Crown
- Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
- Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton
- Gillian Anderson, The Crown
- Olivia Colman, The Crown
- Emma Corrin, The Crown
- Julia Garner, Ozark
- Laura Linney, Ozark
- Dan Levy, Schitt's Creek
- Eugene Levy, Schitt's Creek
- Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
- Ramy Youssef, Ramy
- Nicholas Hoult, The Great
- Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
- Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
- Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
- Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek
- Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek
- Better Call Saul
- Bridgerton
- The Crown
- Lovecraft Country
- Ozark
- Dead to Me
- Schitt's Creek
- Ted Lasso
- The Flight Attendant
- The Great
Stunt Ensemble Honors
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture- Da 5 Bloods
- Mulan
- News of the World
- The Trial of the Chicago 7
- Wonder Woman 1984
- The Boys
- Cobra Kai
- Lovecraft Country
- The Mandalorian
- Westworld
RPG Based on The Dragon Prince Begins Open Playtesting Next Week
The teams at Fandom Tabletop and Wonderstorm Studio have announced a public playtest for the Tales of Xadia tabletop RPG starting on February 9, 2021.
Set in the world of Netflix's animated series The Dragon Prince - which we called "amazing" and was one of our favorite TV series' of 2019 – Tales of Xadia is built using the Cortex RPG engine (also being used for the upcoming Masters of the Universe TRPG, Legends of Grayskull). According to the Fandom RPG team, it leans on narrative-focused character traits and archetypes to focus on the relationships players develop throughout the realm – from simple friendships to complex political alliances – and delves deeper into the magical workings of the series' world.
“Our goal with Tales of Xadia is to authentically capture the unique feel, expansive world, and epic stakes of The Dragon Prince,” said Adam Bradford, Executive Producer and Vice President of Tabletop at Fandom. “As we enter the public playtesting phase, we’re excited for fans to see the game in action, experience a thrilling original story, and share their feedback that will help us finalize the game for the full release later this year.”
[caption id="attachment_2469146" align="aligncenter" width="720"]
Map of Xadia by Francesca Baerald[/caption]
"This game has the same rich world-building and epic stories that fans of the show have come to know," said Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond, co-creators of the Netflix series in a joint statement. "We can't wait to hear about your own adventures and escapades through Xadia."
The public playtest for Tales of Xadia begins on February 9, 2021, but players interested in getting in on the actions sooner can sign up for early access starting today. If you're looking to get into tabletop RPGs but don't know where to start, why not see which game might suit your table best?
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JR is a Senior Editor at IGN and wants to hear about your campaign ideas - tell him on Twitter.
“Our goal with Tales of Xadia is to authentically capture the unique feel, expansive world, and epic stakes of The Dragon Prince,” said Adam Bradford, Executive Producer and Vice President of Tabletop at Fandom. “As we enter the public playtesting phase, we’re excited for fans to see the game in action, experience a thrilling original story, and share their feedback that will help us finalize the game for the full release later this year.”
[caption id="attachment_2469146" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Map of Xadia by Francesca Baerald[/caption]
"This game has the same rich world-building and epic stories that fans of the show have come to know," said Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond, co-creators of the Netflix series in a joint statement. "We can't wait to hear about your own adventures and escapades through Xadia."
The public playtest for Tales of Xadia begins on February 9, 2021, but players interested in getting in on the actions sooner can sign up for early access starting today. If you're looking to get into tabletop RPGs but don't know where to start, why not see which game might suit your table best?
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
JR is a Senior Editor at IGN and wants to hear about your campaign ideas - tell him on Twitter.Amazon’s New CEO Commits to Making More Games After Reported Internal Struggles
Amazon's incumbent CEO Andy Jassy has pledged his support to the company's gaming division following reported internal struggles at Amazon Game Studios.
In an email seen by Bloomberg, Jassy acknowledged the difficulties faced so far, which have seen games like Crucible being shut down only months after its official launch. "Some businesses take off in the first year, and others take many years,” Jassy said in an email to staff. “Though we haven’t consistently succeeded yet in AGS, I believe we will if we hang in there.” Jassy is set to replace Amazon's CEO and founder Jeff Bezos later this year after Bezos announced that he was stepping down on Tuesday.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/27/crucible-review"]
Jassy's supportive email was apparently a follow-up to an email from Mike Frazzini, the current head of Amazon Game Studios. Frazzini was addressing a recent Bloomberg report which illuminated behind-the-scenes issues at the studio. Bloomberg's report alleged a 'Bro Culture' at AGS and alluded to multiple cancelled projects, mismanagement and a difficult-to-work-with game engine in Amazon Lumberyard, which apparently caused difficulties during development.
In the emails obtained by Bloomberg, Frazzini is reported as saying that the studio "has zero tolerance for [the kind of behaviour described], or anything less than a fully equitable and inclusive environment [...] We’ve learned and improved a lot along the way, myself included, and we will continue to do so," Frazzini continued. "Making great games is hard, and we’re not going to get everything right.”
Amazon has not had a lot of success in the gaming space so far, but Jassy and Frazzini's comments suggest they don't seem to be giving up just yet. The company announced its foray into cloud streaming in 2020 with Amazon Luna. Here's everything we know about Amazon Luna as the service sits in beta.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Amazon’s New CEO Commits to Making More Games After Reported Internal Struggles
Amazon's incumbent CEO Andy Jassy has pledged his support to the company's gaming division following reported internal struggles at Amazon Game Studios.
In an email seen by Bloomberg, Jassy acknowledged the difficulties faced so far, which have seen games like Crucible being shut down only months after its official launch. "Some businesses take off in the first year, and others take many years,” Jassy said in an email to staff. “Though we haven’t consistently succeeded yet in AGS, I believe we will if we hang in there.” Jassy is set to replace Amazon's CEO and founder Jeff Bezos later this year after Bezos announced that he was stepping down on Tuesday.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/27/crucible-review"]
Jassy's supportive email was apparently a follow-up to an email from Mike Frazzini, the current head of Amazon Game Studios. Frazzini was addressing a recent Bloomberg report which illuminated behind-the-scenes issues at the studio. Bloomberg's report alleged a 'Bro Culture' at AGS and alluded to multiple cancelled projects, mismanagement and a difficult-to-work-with game engine in Amazon Lumberyard, which apparently caused difficulties during development.
In the emails obtained by Bloomberg, Frazzini is reported as saying that the studio "has zero tolerance for [the kind of behaviour described], or anything less than a fully equitable and inclusive environment [...] We’ve learned and improved a lot along the way, myself included, and we will continue to do so," Frazzini continued. "Making great games is hard, and we’re not going to get everything right.”
Amazon has not had a lot of success in the gaming space so far, but Jassy and Frazzini's comments suggest they don't seem to be giving up just yet. The company announced its foray into cloud streaming in 2020 with Amazon Luna. Here's everything we know about Amazon Luna as the service sits in beta.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Sonic Mania’s Green Hill Zone to Become a LEGO Set
An official Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO set will be released thanks to a fan design that gained traction online through the LEGO Ideas program.
UK-based LEGO builder Viv Grannell's Sonic Mania Green Hill Zone design has been greenlit by the LEGO Group and will be produced and sold in collaboration with SEGA.
No release date has been set for the design, as it will only now begin product development with Sega's input, but it will eventually be released worldwide. You can see the concept image for the set below:
The design picked up 10,000 votes as part of the LEGO Ideas program, which lets fans submit homemade designs to be voted on by the LEGO community. Sets that achieve traction such as this one have the chance of being turned into real products.
“I’ve been invested in the world of Sonic for almost my entire life," said designer Viv Grannell, "and it’s such a perfect fit for the LEGO system that I spent about a year rallying support for it to happen. Having 10,000 people back my design was overwhelming enough, even with friends and family behind me, but having it be selected for further development was the most exciting secret I have ever had to keep!”
The scene is based on the Green Hill Zone level from 2017's Sonic Mania and includes a host of Sonic characters such as the titular hedgehog, Dr Eggman, the Egg Robot mech and the Hard-Boiled Heavies. "Featuring a wide variety of elements inspired by Classic Sonic, the set will provide LEGO collectors and Sonic fans alike a truly supersonic LEGO experience," LEGO's press release reads.
The design picked up 10,000 votes as part of the LEGO Ideas program, which lets fans submit homemade designs to be voted on by the LEGO community. Sets that achieve traction such as this one have the chance of being turned into real products.
“I’ve been invested in the world of Sonic for almost my entire life," said designer Viv Grannell, "and it’s such a perfect fit for the LEGO system that I spent about a year rallying support for it to happen. Having 10,000 people back my design was overwhelming enough, even with friends and family behind me, but having it be selected for further development was the most exciting secret I have ever had to keep!”
The scene is based on the Green Hill Zone level from 2017's Sonic Mania and includes a host of Sonic characters such as the titular hedgehog, Dr Eggman, the Egg Robot mech and the Hard-Boiled Heavies. "Featuring a wide variety of elements inspired by Classic Sonic, the set will provide LEGO collectors and Sonic fans alike a truly supersonic LEGO experience," LEGO's press release reads.
In other Sonic the Hedgehog news, a Netflix series based on the blue blur called Sonic Prime was recently revealed and is set to premiere in 2022. You can check out IGN's review of Sonic Mania here, which we scored an 8.7, calling it "the classic throwback longtime series fans have been clamouring for." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.Does this look familiar? The Green Hill Zone from Sonic is absolutely iconic
Hear from the designer behind it, Viv Grannell and their journey which can be read in full here: https://t.co/XOI164GHQa #LEGOIdeas pic.twitter.com/QiUhGB62tL — LEGO® IDEAS (@LEGOIdeas) August 10, 2020
Sonic Mania’s Green Hill Zone to Become a LEGO Set
An official Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO set will be released thanks to a fan design that gained traction online through the LEGO Ideas program.
UK-based LEGO builder Viv Grannell's Sonic Mania Green Hill Zone design has been greenlit by the LEGO Group and will be produced and sold in collaboration with SEGA.
No release date has been set for the design, as it will only now begin product development with Sega's input, but it will eventually be released worldwide. You can see the concept image for the set below:
The design picked up 10,000 votes as part of the LEGO Ideas program, which lets fans submit homemade designs to be voted on by the LEGO community. Sets that achieve traction such as this one have the chance of being turned into real products.
“I’ve been invested in the world of Sonic for almost my entire life," said designer Viv Grannell, "and it’s such a perfect fit for the LEGO system that I spent about a year rallying support for it to happen. Having 10,000 people back my design was overwhelming enough, even with friends and family behind me, but having it be selected for further development was the most exciting secret I have ever had to keep!”
The scene is based on the Green Hill Zone level from 2017's Sonic Mania and includes a host of Sonic characters such as the titular hedgehog, Dr Eggman, the Egg Robot mech and the Hard-Boiled Heavies. "Featuring a wide variety of elements inspired by Classic Sonic, the set will provide LEGO collectors and Sonic fans alike a truly supersonic LEGO experience," LEGO's press release reads.
The design picked up 10,000 votes as part of the LEGO Ideas program, which lets fans submit homemade designs to be voted on by the LEGO community. Sets that achieve traction such as this one have the chance of being turned into real products.
“I’ve been invested in the world of Sonic for almost my entire life," said designer Viv Grannell, "and it’s such a perfect fit for the LEGO system that I spent about a year rallying support for it to happen. Having 10,000 people back my design was overwhelming enough, even with friends and family behind me, but having it be selected for further development was the most exciting secret I have ever had to keep!”
The scene is based on the Green Hill Zone level from 2017's Sonic Mania and includes a host of Sonic characters such as the titular hedgehog, Dr Eggman, the Egg Robot mech and the Hard-Boiled Heavies. "Featuring a wide variety of elements inspired by Classic Sonic, the set will provide LEGO collectors and Sonic fans alike a truly supersonic LEGO experience," LEGO's press release reads.
In other Sonic the Hedgehog news, a Netflix series based on the blue blur called Sonic Prime was recently revealed and is set to premiere in 2022. You can check out IGN's review of Sonic Mania here, which we scored an 8.7, calling it "the classic throwback longtime series fans have been clamouring for." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.Does this look familiar? The Green Hill Zone from Sonic is absolutely iconic
Hear from the designer behind it, Viv Grannell and their journey which can be read in full here: https://t.co/XOI164GHQa #LEGOIdeas pic.twitter.com/QiUhGB62tL — LEGO® IDEAS (@LEGOIdeas) August 10, 2020
Justice League: Zack Snyder Shows Image of Knightmare Batman From New Shoots
Zack Snyder has shared a fresh look at Ben Affleck's Knightmare Batman from the new Justice League shoots.
The filmmaker posted the image to his Vero account, offering fans a glimpse of Affleck suited up as the Knightmare version of Batman, wearing a trench coat like the one that he wore in Batman v Superman's dystopian dreamscape. The monochrome photo is taken from behind the Dark Knight, however, the silhouette indicates that he is donning the goggles again, too.
[caption id="attachment_2469398" align="alignnone" width="910"]
Image credit: Vero/zacksnyder[/caption]
In the comments section of the post, Snyder confirmed that the new shot is from the Justice League reshoots, which is interesting as the movie is said to include around 150 minutes of unseen footage, comprised of only "about four minutes or five minutes of additional photography." The rest of the Snyder cut is made up of original footage from the theatrical release and elements that ended up on the cutting room floor.
Snyder previously revealed how he incorporated specific scenes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to set-up his version of Justice League. During a live commentary track for BvS released last year, Snyder confirmed that the "Knightmare" sequence, in which Bruce Wayne dreams of a hellish future where Superman has become a servant of Apokolips, was intended to set the stage for Justice League.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-trailer"]
The same hellish, war-torn desert that was teased in the Knightmare dream sequence was further glimpsed in the first trailer for Zack Snyder's Justice League, which featured several of the key differences from Joss Whedon's 2017 theatrical release. Another one of the big changes surrounds Jared Leto's Joker, who will be returning with a different look in the Snyder Cut of Justice League.
Snyder previously described Leto's Joker as a "road-weary" villain who appears in a "vignette" showing a "segment of the band together," referencing a scene from the reshoots, which involved several returning cast members, including Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher. Earlier this week, Snyder shared another Justice League snap to tease Joker's new look in the movie.
We'll find more about these changes and additions when Snyder's R-rated Justice League comes to HBO Max on March 18.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Image credit: Vero/zacksnyder[/caption]
In the comments section of the post, Snyder confirmed that the new shot is from the Justice League reshoots, which is interesting as the movie is said to include around 150 minutes of unseen footage, comprised of only "about four minutes or five minutes of additional photography." The rest of the Snyder cut is made up of original footage from the theatrical release and elements that ended up on the cutting room floor.
Snyder previously revealed how he incorporated specific scenes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to set-up his version of Justice League. During a live commentary track for BvS released last year, Snyder confirmed that the "Knightmare" sequence, in which Bruce Wayne dreams of a hellish future where Superman has become a servant of Apokolips, was intended to set the stage for Justice League.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-trailer"]
The same hellish, war-torn desert that was teased in the Knightmare dream sequence was further glimpsed in the first trailer for Zack Snyder's Justice League, which featured several of the key differences from Joss Whedon's 2017 theatrical release. Another one of the big changes surrounds Jared Leto's Joker, who will be returning with a different look in the Snyder Cut of Justice League.
Snyder previously described Leto's Joker as a "road-weary" villain who appears in a "vignette" showing a "segment of the band together," referencing a scene from the reshoots, which involved several returning cast members, including Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher. Earlier this week, Snyder shared another Justice League snap to tease Joker's new look in the movie.
We'll find more about these changes and additions when Snyder's R-rated Justice League comes to HBO Max on March 18.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&captions=true"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.Justice League: Zack Snyder Shows Image of Knightmare Batman From New Shoots
Zack Snyder has shared a fresh look at Ben Affleck's Knightmare Batman from the new Justice League shoots.
The filmmaker posted the image to his Vero account, offering fans a glimpse of Affleck suited up as the Knightmare version of Batman, wearing a trench coat like the one that he wore in Batman v Superman's dystopian dreamscape. The monochrome photo is taken from behind the Dark Knight, however, the silhouette indicates that he is donning the goggles again, too.
[caption id="attachment_2469398" align="alignnone" width="910"] Image credit: Vero/zacksnyder[/caption]
In the comments section of the post, Snyder confirmed that the new shot is from the Justice League reshoots, which is interesting as the movie is said to include around 150 minutes of unseen footage, comprised of only "about four minutes or five minutes of additional photography." The rest of the Snyder cut is made up of original footage from the theatrical release and elements that ended up on the cutting room floor.
Snyder previously revealed how he incorporated specific scenes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to set-up his version of Justice League. During a live commentary track for BvS released last year, Snyder confirmed that the "Knightmare" sequence, in which Bruce Wayne dreams of a hellish future where Superman has become a servant of Apokolips, was intended to set the stage for Justice League.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-trailer"]
The same hellish, war-torn desert that was teased in the Knightmare dream sequence was further glimpsed in the first trailer for Zack Snyder's Justice League, which featured several of the key differences from Joss Whedon's 2017 theatrical release. Another one of the big changes surrounds Jared Leto's Joker, who will be returning with a different look in the Snyder Cut of Justice League.
Snyder previously described Leto's Joker as a "road-weary" villain who appears in a "vignette" showing a "segment of the band together," referencing a scene from the reshoots, which involved several returning cast members, including Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher. Earlier this week, Snyder shared another Justice League snap to tease Joker's new look in the movie.
We'll find more about these changes and additions when Snyder's R-rated Justice League comes to HBO Max on March 18.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&captions=true"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Image credit: Vero/zacksnyder[/caption]
In the comments section of the post, Snyder confirmed that the new shot is from the Justice League reshoots, which is interesting as the movie is said to include around 150 minutes of unseen footage, comprised of only "about four minutes or five minutes of additional photography." The rest of the Snyder cut is made up of original footage from the theatrical release and elements that ended up on the cutting room floor.
Snyder previously revealed how he incorporated specific scenes in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to set-up his version of Justice League. During a live commentary track for BvS released last year, Snyder confirmed that the "Knightmare" sequence, in which Bruce Wayne dreams of a hellish future where Superman has become a servant of Apokolips, was intended to set the stage for Justice League.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-trailer"]
The same hellish, war-torn desert that was teased in the Knightmare dream sequence was further glimpsed in the first trailer for Zack Snyder's Justice League, which featured several of the key differences from Joss Whedon's 2017 theatrical release. Another one of the big changes surrounds Jared Leto's Joker, who will be returning with a different look in the Snyder Cut of Justice League.
Snyder previously described Leto's Joker as a "road-weary" villain who appears in a "vignette" showing a "segment of the band together," referencing a scene from the reshoots, which involved several returning cast members, including Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher. Earlier this week, Snyder shared another Justice League snap to tease Joker's new look in the movie.
We'll find more about these changes and additions when Snyder's R-rated Justice League comes to HBO Max on March 18.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&captions=true"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.Video Games Helped Lead Konami to a Record Nine Months
Konami's Digital Entertainment business – which includes "mobile games, computer and video games and card games" – not only propped up Konami's financial year amid the pandemic, but drove it to record-high profits.
In the company's latest earnings release, Konami makes clear that many of its business segments (including casino gaming, sports clubs, and amusements) suffered major drops in revenue due to lockdowns and the societal effects of the pandemic. However, as we've seen across the industry, at-home gaming saw a huge boost, with Konami's Digital Entertainment division seeing revenue and profits grow substantially.
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In the nine months ending December 31, the Digital Entertainment division saw a 33.1% growth in total revenue and a 75.3% growth in profit, year-on-year. The earnings release explains, "Thus, business profit, operating profit and profit before income tax of Konami Group for the nine months ended December 31, 2020 have all reached a record high." This comes despite the fact that Konami Group as a whole saw a drop of 0.6% in total revenue.
Much has been made in recent years of Konami's shift away from core video game development, favouring mobile and casino gaming. While mobile gaming undoubtedly played a major part in the company's recent success, Konami points to the console releases of multiple Pro Evolution Soccer games, as well as the Japan-only release of the latest Momotaro Dentetsu game (a series of digital board games), which shipped 2.5 million copies as of January 2021. Looking forward, Konami points to the release of Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel for Nintendo Switch and a game adaptation of sci-fi manga Edens Zero.
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The Digital Entertainment division's success is interesting in light of Konami's recent restructure. The company recently announced that it will dissolve its three Production Divisions, leading some to speculate that the company would no longer produce games. Konami denied that idea, telling IGN that it was in fact made to allow games to be made more efficiently at the company.
It remains to be seen whether Konami will return to more regular code video game development, but it has announced that PES 2022 will be made using Unreal Engine, and set up a western game publishing division. Last year, reports spread saying that Konami was working on two new Silent Hill games, but Konami denied the assertions. “It’s not to say we are completely closing the door on the franchise, just not in the way it is being reported,” said a spokesperson.
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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.