Warning: Full spoilers for WandaVision follow. [poilib element="accentDivider"] WandaVision head scribe Jac Schaeffer has explained why one of the most popular fan theories surrounding the show didn't come to fruition. In an interview with Deadline, Schaeffer, who served as the series' showrunner and executive producer, talked about the season finale of WandaVision, and some of the decisions that were made behind-the-scenes. In particular, she addressed one of the major fan theories that didn't come true on the show, as she explained why ultimately a "big bad" wasn't needed in the series. "We didn't think this series needed a big bad," she stated after being asked about Mephisto's absence from the storyline. "I mean, the big bad is grief, you know, and that's the story that we were telling, and then we got a bonus baddie in the form of Agatha Harkness who ended up facilitating Wanda's therapy, so yeah, I think we feel pretty good about that." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=how-mephisto-could-be-connected-to-wandavision-and-the-snap&captions=true"] Throughout the series, many fans assumed that a larger unseen villain had been pulling Wanda's strings backstage, with some speculating that Mephisto had assumed the role of the puppet master, especially given the dealmaking demon's important history with Wanda in the comics. A few people also thought that Mephisto could have been on a mission to reclaim souls after Avengers: Endgame. Even though the finale seemed to dispel any and all theories about Mephisto being the secret villain behind the events in Westview, it seems safe to assume that Wanda's twin sons, Billy and Tommy, will make a further appearance in the MCU. In fact, it's highly probable that they will return as Wiccan and Speed, joining up with the likes of Kate Bishop and Cassie Lang from the Young Avengers. While these two characters could wind up playing a prominent role in the MCU, there's still "a lot more" of Scarlet Witch's story to come. The events of WandaVision are expected to lead into Marvel's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the plot of that movie is also said to connect to the new Spidey sequel, now officially titled Spider-Man: No Way Home. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/05/wandavision-episode-9-review"] The Doctor Strange sequel is scheduled to be released on March 25, 2022, but there's a lot of MCU to come before that. With the credits rolling on the WandaVision finale, many are now turning their attention to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, coming up on March 19. There's also Black Widow, Loki, Shang-Chi, What If...?, Eternals, and the third Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Victura CEO Peter Tamte has clarified his comments on the political nature of Six Days In Fallujah, in light of the publisher's recent statement.

Victura CEO Peter Tamte has clarified his comments on the political nature of Six Days In Fallujah, in light of the publisher's recent statement.

Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch will run at 30 FPS in both docked and handheld mode, but will come with optional cross-play, presumably to mitigate concerns about Switch players being put at a disadvantage. As reported by Eurogamer, Respawn and Panic Button developers revealed the details in an interview with Famitsu. The game will run at 720p in docked mode and 576p in handheld mode, with both modes offering 30 frames-per-second (Apex Legends on existing platforms runs at 60 FPS by comparison). Players will be able to use gyroscopic aiming in mobile mode, and the UI has been adjusted to make it clear up close. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/02/12/apex-legends-review"] It was also revealed that cross-play between Nintendo Switch players and other platforms is an optional feature that can be disabled if players just want to match up with users on the same console. Given that console and PC players will have superior framerate and a better resolution to play with, this will no doubt raise questions about how players on other platforms may have an advantage over the Nintendo Switch player base, so turning off cross-play may benefit some Switch players. The interview adds that the Apex Legends engine is the same as the console and PC release, but Switch support was built into it by the team at Panic Button, which handled the port. The game's Nintendo Switch port was initially delayed into 2021 in October of 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic but is now set to launch later today. In other EA news, check out our interview with Chief studios officer Laura Miele about how EA is putting the future of its franchises into its studios' hands. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Apex Legends on Nintendo Switch will run at 30 FPS in both docked and handheld mode, but will come with optional cross-play, presumably to mitigate concerns about Switch players being put at a disadvantage. As reported by Eurogamer, Respawn and Panic Button developers revealed the details in an interview with Famitsu. The game will run at 720p in docked mode and 576p in handheld mode, with both modes offering 30 frames-per-second (Apex Legends on existing platforms runs at 60 FPS by comparison). Players will be able to use gyroscopic aiming in mobile mode, and the UI has been adjusted to make it clear up close. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/02/12/apex-legends-review"] It was also revealed that cross-play between Nintendo Switch players and other platforms is an optional feature that can be disabled if players just want to match up with users on the same console. Given that console and PC players will have superior framerate and a better resolution to play with, this will no doubt raise questions about how players on other platforms may have an advantage over the Nintendo Switch player base, so turning off cross-play may benefit some Switch players. The interview adds that the Apex Legends engine is the same as the console and PC release, but Switch support was built into it by the team at Panic Button, which handled the port. The game's Nintendo Switch port was initially delayed into 2021 in October of 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic but is now set to launch later today. In other EA news, check out our interview with Chief studios officer Laura Miele about how EA is putting the future of its franchises into its studios' hands. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

The biggest movie of 2021 so far is Coming 2 America. At least according to Amazon, which premiered the movie on its Amazon Prime streaming platform. Although official numbers haven't been released by Amazon, the streamer has claimed that the long-awaited Eddie Murphy sequel drew the largest weekend debut viewership of any streaming movie in the past 12 months of the pandemic. Amazon cited research firm Screen Engine/ASI in its statement. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/04/coming-2-america-review"] These numbers exceed those of Wonder Woman 1984's in December, which had a debut that correlated with HBO Max doubling its subscriptions to 17.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. It also lands ahead of Amazon's own Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which the streamer touted as drawing "tens of millions" of viewers in October. It should be noted that viewership numbers from streaming services have been unverifiable, for the most part. So Amazon's bold stance on Coming 2 America's viewership numbers certainly expresses confidence in the new Eddie Murphy sequel. Last weekend also saw the premiere of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run on Paramount's new streaming service Paramount+. Curiously, Screen Engine/ASI did not rank the weekend results for Disney+'s Raya and the Last Dragon, which is available to rent as a $34.99 rental as part of the platform's Premier Access program. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=coming-2-america-first-look&captions=true"] Coming 2 America was originally set to release last August before being pushed back to December. The film was later sold by Paramount Pictures to Amazon for $125 million in October. IGN's review gave Coming 2 America a 6, calling it a retread relying on nostalgia and cast to carry its ideas. [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer.

The biggest movie of 2021 so far is Coming 2 America. At least according to Amazon, which premiered the movie on its Amazon Prime streaming platform. Although official numbers haven't been released by Amazon, the streamer has claimed that the long-awaited Eddie Murphy sequel drew the largest weekend debut viewership of any streaming movie in the past 12 months of the pandemic. Amazon cited research firm Screen Engine/ASI in its statement. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/04/coming-2-america-review"] These numbers exceed those of Wonder Woman 1984's in December, which had a debut that correlated with HBO Max doubling its subscriptions to 17.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. It also lands ahead of Amazon's own Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which the streamer touted as drawing "tens of millions" of viewers in October. It should be noted that viewership numbers from streaming services have been unverifiable, for the most part. So Amazon's bold stance on Coming 2 America's viewership numbers certainly expresses confidence in the new Eddie Murphy sequel. Last weekend also saw the premiere of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run on Paramount's new streaming service Paramount+. Curiously, Screen Engine/ASI did not rank the weekend results for Disney+'s Raya and the Last Dragon, which is available to rent as a $34.99 rental as part of the platform's Premier Access program. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=coming-2-america-first-look&captions=true"] Coming 2 America was originally set to release last August before being pushed back to December. The film was later sold by Paramount Pictures to Amazon for $125 million in October. IGN's review gave Coming 2 America a 6, calling it a retread relying on nostalgia and cast to carry its ideas. [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer.

Netflix has revealed the release date for its upcoming Yasuke, an anime based on the African samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga. Netflix also released some first-look photos of the series. The streaming service revealed that it was working on a Yasuke anime back in 2018 and now, nearly three years later, the series has a release date of April 29, 2021. The six-episode series will center around Yasuke, the greatest ronin ever known, in a war-torn feudal Japan filled with mechs, magic, and more, trying to live out his remaining days in peace, according to Netflix. Yasuke's peaceful days don't last, however, as he's forced to take up the sword once more. [caption id="attachment_248400" align="alignnone" width="720"] Netflix's Yasuke, Photo Credit: Netflix[/caption] "[When] a local village becomes the center of social upheaval between warring daimyo, Yasuke must take up his sword and transport a mysterious child who is the target of dark forces and bloodthirsty warlords," Netflix's blog post reads. The series is produced and directed by LeSean Thomas (Cannon Busters) and animated by MAPPA (Attack on Titan: The Final Season, Jujutsu Kaisen). The anime's character designs come by way of director and animator, Takeshi Koike (Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine) and Yasuke will be voiced by LaKeith Stanfield (Sorry to Bother You, Judas and the Black Messiah). Grammy Award-nominated artist, Flying Lotus, is behind the music for the series. [caption id="attachment_248400" align="alignnone" width="720"] Netflix's Yasuke, Photo Credit: Netflix[/caption] "There is a serendipitous nature about this project, how an African-American man goes to Japan to live and work amongst the very best in Japanese anime to create an anime about an African who goes to Japan to live amongst the Japanese elite and become a warrior," Thomas says in Netflix's blog post. "Part of me deep down feels I was meant to create this adventure series with MAPPA, Flying Lotus, LaKeith, and the rest of this talented team." Thomas said he remembers reading the children's book, Kuro-suke by Kurusu Yoshio, and the excitement he felt when he learned Yasuke wasn't just a fictional character, but a real person. "I'm excited for both longtime fans and newcomers to enjoy our reimagined take on this historical figure," he continued. [caption id="attachment_248400" align="alignnone" width="720"] Netflix's Yasuke, Photo Credit: Netflix[/caption] While waiting for Yasuke to release on April 29, check out IGN's thoughts on Yasuke director's previous Netflix project in our Cannon Busters review and then read our list of the top 25 best anime series of all time. Check out this story about the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards winners after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Netflix has revealed the release date for its upcoming Yasuke, an anime based on the African samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga. Netflix also released some first-look photos of the series. The streaming service revealed that it was working on a Yasuke anime back in 2018 and now, nearly three years later, the series has a release date of April 29, 2021. The six-episode series will center around Yasuke, the greatest ronin ever known, in a war-torn feudal Japan filled with mechs, magic, and more, trying to live out his remaining days in peace, according to Netflix. Yasuke's peaceful days don't last, however, as he's forced to take up the sword once more. [caption id="attachment_248400" align="alignnone" width="720"] Netflix's Yasuke, Photo Credit: Netflix[/caption] "[When] a local village becomes the center of social upheaval between warring daimyo, Yasuke must take up his sword and transport a mysterious child who is the target of dark forces and bloodthirsty warlords," Netflix's blog post reads. The series is produced and directed by LeSean Thomas (Cannon Busters) and animated by MAPPA (Attack on Titan: The Final Season, Jujutsu Kaisen). The anime's character designs come by way of director and animator, Takeshi Koike (Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine) and Yasuke will be voiced by LaKeith Stanfield (Sorry to Bother You, Judas and the Black Messiah). Grammy Award-nominated artist, Flying Lotus, is behind the music for the series. [caption id="attachment_248400" align="alignnone" width="720"] Netflix's Yasuke, Photo Credit: Netflix[/caption] "There is a serendipitous nature about this project, how an African-American man goes to Japan to live and work amongst the very best in Japanese anime to create an anime about an African who goes to Japan to live amongst the Japanese elite and become a warrior," Thomas says in Netflix's blog post. "Part of me deep down feels I was meant to create this adventure series with MAPPA, Flying Lotus, LaKeith, and the rest of this talented team." Thomas said he remembers reading the children's book, Kuro-suke by Kurusu Yoshio, and the excitement he felt when he learned Yasuke wasn't just a fictional character, but a real person. "I'm excited for both longtime fans and newcomers to enjoy our reimagined take on this historical figure," he continued. [caption id="attachment_248400" align="alignnone" width="720"] Netflix's Yasuke, Photo Credit: Netflix[/caption] While waiting for Yasuke to release on April 29, check out IGN's thoughts on Yasuke director's previous Netflix project in our Cannon Busters review and then read our list of the top 25 best anime series of all time. Check out this story about the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards winners after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Note: Full spoilers follow for the series finale of WandaVision. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Last week's action-packed series finale of WandaVision saw the end of Wanda's takeover of the suburban town of Westview and gave fans a hint at the Scarlet Witch and Vision's future in the MCU. On Sunday, series director Matt Shakman appeared on Kevin Smith's podcast Fatman Beyond to take part in an extended conversation about the show. During their talk, Shakman revealed details on how WandaVision's story changed shape throughout post-production, explaining a sequence planned for Monica Rambeau and her S.W.O.R.D. associates in the finale.

 “We did have a whole sequence where Darcy, Monica [and] Ralph meet up with the kids, and they’re in Agatha’s house, and they think that maybe they should steal the Darkhold from the basement because the kids has seen it down there when they were being held hostage. And they go down to get the book, and as they reach out to get the book, the rabbit hops up in front of the book. And they’re like, 'Oh it’s Señor Scratchy, he’s the best!' And they reach over to scratch him and he hisses and this whole American Werewolf in London transformation happens where rabbit turns into this big demon."

Shakman went on to explain how the sequence ended up being cut because of its unfinished visual effects as well as its somewhat awkward placement in the context of the show's busy finale. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/05/wandavision-episode-9-review"] Shakman's comments provide an explanation for Rambeau's curiously small role in the episode in which her new superpowers barely came into play. Not unlike other television shows, WandaVision underwent constant rewrites and changes throughout production, including having an originally planned 10-episode structure reworked into the final 9-episode run. In Marvel comics, Agatha's son is a warlock named Nicholas Scratch. In one storyline, Scratch became the mayor of a small town whose inhabitants were possessed by demons. Throughout WandaVision's run, fan theories were abound concerning the significance of Agatha's pet rabbit. Though the creature was never explicitly revealed to be Nicholas Scratch, it turns out that those predictions weren't necessarily wrong. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wandavision-all-the-marvel-and-tv-easter-eggs-in-every-episode&captions=true"] For more on WandaVision, read our lingering questions about what the season finale could entail for the MCU and how the series could set up Wanda's role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will continue to explore the fallout of Avengers: Endgame when the series premieres on Disney+ on March 19. [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer.