Monthly Archives: May 2021

Movie Director Says Resident Evil Village Copied His Monster Design

A disgruntled movie director has suggested that Capcom copied his monster design for a boss fight in Resident Evil Village. The claim has come from Dutch director Richard Raaphorst via LinkedIn, who states that the design of a boss monster from Resident Evil Village is the same as a creature from his 2013 horror movie Frankenstein’s Army. He reads, “In 2013 I directed my film Frankenstein’s Army. It’s a crazy monster movie filled with my own creature designs, one of which has been used - completely without authorization or credit in the newest Resident Evil game.” Light spoilers for Resident Evil Village follow. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/05/resident-evil-village-review"] The monster in question is a boss fight from the Heisenberg’s Factory section of the game, where you fight a monster with a propeller for a head called Sturm. In Frankenstein’s Army, a similar monster appears as an unnamed human creature with a propeller for a head (you can watch a video of the movie scene here). Raaphorst provided images of the two scenes, going as far as telling Eurogamer that Sturm is a “one to one” copy of his design. In that interview with Eurogamer, Raaphorst points out that even the way the scene and boss fight end is similar, with the monster being forced to burst into flames. "It's just the same scene as in my movie," he said, "except that in my movie you have to cut loose the fuel tubes. That's the only thing that is missing. But the whole thing is getting into flames, and then it explodes, and then the way it rotates through the camera - it's all the same, really. Even the environments, the whole colour palette. It looks like an animatic for my movie." [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="630"] Raaphorst's comparison images. (Source: LinkedIn)[/caption] Raaphort goes on to say that, “It's so difficult to come up with a great design. It's really hard to actually think about something that communicates as a cool design. It's not just that ideas are floating around that you can grab. It's actually hard labour. Then they just grab it and put it somewhere in the game.” Twitter user CloneKorp has created a thread claiming that not only Sturm, but a number of monsters from Frankenstein's Army were repurposed for Resident Evil Village. In a reply, Raaphorst said, "Oh dude, this is worse then I thought. First I felt angry, then proud, but now I see this, I feel sad." IGN has contacted Capcom for comment on the similarities, and Raaphorst's claims. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2013/07/25/frankensteins-army-red-band-clip"] In other Capcom news, it was revealed today that the company continues to achieve record breaking profits, with the latest fiscal year being the most profitable in its history thanks to strong sales of its Resident Evil and Monster Hunter franchises. It was also revealed that Capcom used a giant grumpy stand-in for Lady Dimitrescu's motion capture in Resident Evil Village. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman

Sweet Tooth: Netflix Series Will Be Less Dark Than the Original Comic

Sweet Tooth – the upcoming Netflix series based on the DC comic of the same name – will drop some of the darkness of the original graphic novel. In a new making-of video, which you can watch exclusively on IGN, executive producers Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey explain that the series will honour the novel, but will take a slightly different approach. "The graphic novels were a little darker, a bit more foreboding," explains Robert Downey Jr. "We felt like we could really hold onto the themes, but make it a more enjoyable place," adds Susan Downey." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/10/sweet-tooth-exclusive-preview-of-the-netflix-dc-series-with-exec-producer-robert-downey-jr"] While that could be a little concerning to existing Sweet Tooth fans, creator Jeff Lemire also makes clear that co-showrunner Jim Mickle has kept the comic's style intact: "Jim Mickle, as soon as I heard how in line his vision was with what I had originally created, I felt like it was in really good hands." Lemire adds that he thinks some of the best parts of the show are brand new characters created for it. Robert Downey Jr. adds, "This is seamless, like the novel just continued on." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflixs-sweet-tooth-images&captions=true"] Sweet Tooth will premiere on June 4, and its cast includes Christian Convery, Nonso Anozie, Adeel Akhtar, Aliza Vellani, Stefania LaVie Owen, Dania Ramirez, Neil Sandilands, Will Forte, and James Brolin. The show takes place in a post-pandemic world, where human-animal hybrids have begun to be born. Sweet Tooth himself is half-human, half-deer who goes on an America-spanning adventure – alongside drifter Jepperd – to discover his origins. [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.

Venom 2 Director Says Cletus Kasady’s New Look Reflects Character’s ‘Darkness’

The first Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer has arrived, and Woody Harrelson's Cletus Kasady is looking quite different. Audiences were first introduced to Woody Harrelson's Cletus Kasady in the post-credits scene of 2018's Venom, with the incarcerated villain sporting a killer mop of hair. His curly crimson locks drew some criticism at the time, with a few people poking fun at the actor's clownish wig, but it appears that the hardened criminal has had his hair hacked to pieces since his last cinematic appearance. Director Andy Serkis spoke to IGN about the drastic change in Cletus' hairstyle between movies, explaining how the character's shorter 'do reflects the passage of time and the evolution of his mental state. "We wanted to give a sense that he's been in there for some time and that he's gone through various changes... so that we could really [see] what's going on with the darkness of the character." Cletus Kasady Carnage Comparison As the trailer shows, Cletus' madness is reflected through the strange, intricate drawings lining the walls of his cell. Those drawings may or may not have a special significance to the plot, but they definitely offer insight into the villain's terrifying mind and his erratic array of emotions, which Serkis says jumps between "his anger and frustration and his sadness and his desperation and his loneliness." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/10/venom-let-there-be-carnage-exclusive-trailer-breakdown-with-director-andy-serkis-ign-rewind-theatre-uk"] Cletus' alter-ego Carnage was the first (and by far the most popular) of several new symbiote villains introduced in the comics of the early '90s, with Cletus Kasady making his first appearance as Carnage in 1992's Amazing Spider-Man #360. As a recurring presence in the franchise, many fans have been reviewing the character's comic book appearance compared to his live-action look. In addition to Harrelson, Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams are reprising their respective roles as Eddie Brock and Anne Weying in Venom 2, together with Reid Scott who is returning to portray Dr. Dan Lewis, Weying's boyfriend. Let There Be Carnage also features several newcomers, including Naomie Harris, Stephen Graham, Sean Delaney, and Larry Olubamiwo. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=venom-let-there-be-carnage-easter-eggs&captions=true"] After a delay, Venom: Let There Be Carnage will be released in US theaters on September 24 (or September 15 in the UK, and September 16 in Australia). [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Seth Rogen Says He’ll No Longer Work With James Franco After Allegations

Seth Rogen has said he doesn't plan on working with James Franco again following accusations of sexually inappropriate behavior. According to Variety, Rogen made the comments during a recent interview with The Sunday Times, in which he addressed the allegations made against Franco in 2014 and again in 2018. In particular, he spoke about how the accusations of sexual misconduct against his former collaborator had affected their professional relationship, having previously worked together on multiple projects. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/12/08/james-franco-on-becoming-the-disaster-artist"] Rogen said in 2018 he would continue working with Franco, but that stance appears to have changed now that some time has passed by. "What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment," he said. "I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that." "I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I comment that I would keep working with James, and the truth is that I have not and I do not plan to right now," he added, noting that the end of his professional relationship with Franco was "not a coincidence" as "many things" had changed in regards to their personal dynamic with one another. Franco dealt with allegations of inappropriate behavior in 2014 when he was accused of propositioning a 17-year-old girl on Instagram. Franco, then 35, addressed the situation on Live! With Kelly and Michael, claiming it was a case of "bad judgment." He faced further accusations of sexual misconduct in 2018 when five women publicly accused him of inappropriate or sexually exploitative behavior. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/11/21/the-disaster-artist-review"] Variety reports that the allegations — which Franco repeatedly denied — eventually "turned into a lawsuit, which was settled in February." Franco has appeared in a few roles since the accusations were made against him, but none with Rogen. The duo previously worked together on Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, The Interview, and many more. Rogen and Franco last starred together in 2017's The Disaster Artist, which was directed by Franco. The movie's screenplay was adapted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber from a 2013 book of the same name written by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell. IGN called the story "a hilarious and heart-wrenching ode to outsider art" that "would be impossible to believe if it weren't apparently true." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Venom 2: What Are Carnage’s New Powers?

Woody Harrelson’s Venom character Cletus Kasady promised plenty of carnage in the sequel, and it looks like the new movie will deliver. The first trailer for Venom: Let There Be Carnage features our first look at the iconic Spider-Man villain. The trailer makes it clear Carnage can use his symbiote in ways Venom can’t, but what exactly are his powers? Let’s take a look at how Carnage’s powers are portrayed in the comics and why the movie is veering in its own direction, according to director Andy Serkis. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/10/venom-let-there-be-carnage-exclusive-trailer-breakdown-with-director-andy-serkis-ign-rewind-theater"]

How Venom 2 Changes Carnage

In terms of his look, Harrelson’s Carnage is very close to the source material. However, his powers seem to work a little differently in this universe. In speaking with IGN, director Andy Serkis suggests the movie is downplaying the idea of Carnage necessarily being stronger than Venom. In this dynamic, Venom is the physical powerhouse while Carnage is the more agile, unpredictable fighter. “Venom is... pretty straightforward in a way,” Serkis says. “He's like a quarterback. He's very grounded, very physically sort of heavy, and like a quarterback where brute force is very much his thing, but whereas Carnage is in the same way that Cletus is manipulative psychologically and physically, he can take your energy and completely shift it for you. So we wanted the whole movement style to be very idiosyncratic and off-kilter and strange, and you just can't pin him down. It would be like trying to have a fight with an octopus basically.” [caption id="attachment_2511353" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]Carnage in Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Carnage in Venom: Let There Be Carnage.[/caption] Serkis also revealed Carnage will have at least one completely new power in the movie. He’ll be able to transform into mist, presumably allowing him to travel through tight spaces and evade detection like a vampire. That, coupled with the traditional shape-shifting tendril powers, should make Carnage a very deadly foe indeed. “He can turn to mist. He can turn to all manner of tendrils. He can take different forms. He can weaponize, he can do all of these different things,” Serkis says. “With all symbiotes, they reflect the person who is their host. So the darkness of Carnage, the playfulness, the wit, the strangeness because Cletus… has a real intelligence and in the way that he uses violence as a bizarre, twisted, crazy wit about what he does and he has a real sense of humor, and we wanted to reflect that in the symbiote that is linked to him.” Based on Serkis’ comments, the movies seem to be leaning more into the idea that the symbiote’s powers reflect its host, rather than it growing progressively stronger with each host. That makes sense given that it never bonded with Spider-Man in this universe (as far as we know). We’ll have to see just how much the sequel delves into the symbiote’s origins and true nature. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/09/26/marvels-strongest-symbiotes-and-venom-isnt-1"]

Carnage’s Symbiote Powers

The Venom symbiote only grows more dangerous and powerful with time. In the comics, the symbiote grows physically stronger each time it finds a new host. That’s why Venom is physically stronger than Spider-Man, even though Eddie Brock doesn’t have innate superhuman powers like Peter Parker does. The symbiote learned from its time bonded with Peter, and it replicates many of his genetic gifts once it bonds with Eddie. That’s also why Venom is immune to Peter’s Spider-Sense. As you might expect, that makes Carnage stronger than both Spider-Man and Venom. The portion of the Venom symbiote that split off and bonds with Cletus brings all its experience and physical development along for the ride. Carnage has even greater strength than Venom, and he too is immune to Spider-Sense. However, Cletus’ deranged mind also unlocks a whole new host of abilities. While Peter and Eddie can use the symbiote to change their appearance or mimic ordinary clothing, Cletus takes the symbiote’s shape-shifting powers to a new level. He can transform his limbs into various blade shapes and even form new limbs and tendrils. To make a Terminator comparison, he’s like the T-1000 to Venom’s T-800. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=venoms-30-most-wtf-moments&captions=true"] Even Carnage’s appearance reflects this instability. His red and black “skin” is constantly morphing and spouting off tendrils. He’s chaos in motion, and that aspect of him certainly looks to still be the case in Venom 2. Venom: Let There Be Carnage will hit theaters on September 24 in the US, September 15 in the UK and September 16 in Australia.

Sony Now Expecting PS5 Shortages to Continue Into Next Year

It sounds as though PS5 supplies will continue to be limited into 2022. It was never going to be easy launching a new console in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, and Bloomberg now reports that Sony has spoken to a “group of analysts” about the supply constraint issues affecting PlayStation 5 supplies, reportedly warning that shortages will continue into 2022. “I don’t think demand is calming down this year and even if we secure a lot more devices and produce many more units of the PlayStation 5 next year, our supply wouldn’t be able to catch up with demand,” Hiroki Totoki reportedly told the analysts. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/16/ps5-stock-to-be-limited-in-first-year-says-report-ign-news"] Global shortages of semiconductors, which are used in almost all computing devices, has made it increasingly difficult for the continuing demand for PS5 consoles to be met. Semiconductors are a crucial part of the PS5 architecture, and the shortages have let to delays in the console's production cycle. Ever since the PS5 launched in November 2020 it has been difficult for both retail stores, and consumers, to get their hands on one. Both the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the trade war started by the Trump administration against China have affected the ability for electronics manufacturers to get hold of these parts. It was previously reported that AMD (which produces chips for PS5) expected shortages to to continue into 2021, but that looks set to be extended into 2022 as well. Sony has previously been vocal in suggesting it wants to surpass the second-year sales of the PS4, which totalled 14.8 million units – however issues with the particular chips needed might get in the way of achieving that target. Ideally, Sony would want to keep up with, or even exceed the early sales of the Playstation 4, but that is looking increasingly challenging at this point. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/05/why-sony-is-struggling-to-sell-you-a-ps5-ign-daily-fix-"] In April, Playstation CEO Jim Ryan said that the company were looking to increase PS5 supply, and that he was in discussions with chip supplier AMD, but it’s clear from this latest news that those conversations have not yet borne fruit. It’s disappointing news for those looking to get their hands on a PS5, as it looks like demand will continue to outstrip supply for the foreseeable future. Despite those struggles, PS5 has still become the fastest-selling console in US history, for both dollar and unit sales. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman

Venom: Let There Be Carnage Gets Its First Poster

Venom: Let There Be Carnage has shown off its toothy first poster, alongside the release of its debut trailer. The poster (below), shows a view of Venom – wrapped in red tendrils – from within Carnage's mouth. It's fair to say there are a lot of symbiote teeth on show here, and gives us a hint at the coming clash between the two classic characters. [caption id="attachment_2511149" align="alignnone" width="1400"]Venom: Let There Be Carnage poster. (Source: Sony) Venom: Let There Be Carnage poster. (Source: Sony)[/caption] And don't fret if this poster doesn't give you the look at Woody Harrelson's take on Carnage that you might have hoped for – we get a full view of the murderous symbiote in the first trailer for Venom 2, which you can also watch below. If that's not enough Venom: Let There Be Carnage information for you, we've also got an exclusive trailer breakdown from director Andy Serkis. Check out that video for a closer look at all the Easter Eggs and references in the trailer, not to mention Serkis' take on the relationships between symbiotes and their hosts – as well as the introduction of Naomie Harris' Shriek. You can check out the highlights of that breakdown in our wrap-up. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/10/venom-let-there-be-carnage-official-trailer-1"] After a delay, Venom: Let There Be Carnage will be released in US theaters on September 24 (or September 15 in the UK, and September 16 in Australia). Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, and Woody Harrelson reprise their roles as Eddie Brock, Anne Weying, and Cletus Kasady, while Naomie Harris plays the villainous Shriek for the first time. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=venom-let-there-be-carnage-easter-eggs&captions=true"] [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.

Resident Evil Village Used a Giant, Grumpy Stand-In for Lady Dimitrescu’s Performance Capture

The actor behind Lady Dimitrescu has revealed more about the motion capture process that brought the character to life – including a big, grumpy pole that was used to simulate her 9'6" eyeline in real life. Lady Dimitrescu actress Maggie Robertson has been delighting fans during Resident Evil Village's launch weekend by responding to fan art and complementing cosplays of the popular character, as well as providing a behind-the-scenes look at the game. In one post Robertson revealed "the grumpy stand-in," a giant pole with a soft head marked with a frowny face. According to Robertson, this was used during performance capture to "mark Lady D's actual size and eye lines" while on set. Lady Dimitrescu became an internet sensation before Village's release, not least because of her huge height – but it's easy to forget that in the age of AAA performance capture, that then causes potential trouble for real-life actors trying to simulate talking to a fictional, towering vampire lady. Capcom's lo-fi solution is a neat (and funny) way to get around the issue – and I now want modders to get to work on a grumpy stand-in model for the actual game. Robertson also shared another video that shows previsualizations and motion capture footage from some key scenes in the game, including when Lady Dimitrescu tastes Ethan's blood and throws her dressing table in a fit of rage. "I'm beyond grateful for how welcoming the entire Resident Evil community has been. Floored by all the love & support you all have given me over these past few days," Robertson said on Twitter. "Keep spreading all of that love around in the name of House Dimitrescu!" We spoke extensively to Capcom about the creation of Lady Dimitrescu, and how they reacted to her sudden popularity. I wonder how they've reacted to her being modded into a Thomas the Tank Engine hybrid... In other Resident Evil Village news, here are 17 brilliant little details, and a cut fan favourite character who could have made it into the game in a very unexpected costume. We scored it an 8 in our review, calling it a "genuinely engrossing and increasingly combat-heavy continuation of the Ethan Winters story." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/resident-evil-village-lady-dimitrescu-thomas-the-tank-engine-mod-gameplay"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Capcom Has Broken Its Profit Records for the Fourth Year in a Row

Capcom has revealed that it has hit record-high profits for the fourth consecutive year, with much of that success coming down to Monster Hunter Rise and Resident Evil 3 sales. In a press release regarding its last fiscal year, Capcom announced net sales were up 16.8%, operating income was up 51.6%, ordinary income was up 51.8%, and net income to the parent company was up 56.3%. The developer of franchises such as Devil May Cry, Monster Hunter, and Resident Evil attributed much of the success to new entries in core franchises like Monster Hunter Rise (which shipped 4 million copies in its first weekend alone) and the remake of Resident Evil 3. However, it also recognised the continued success of previously released games and expansions like Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, which have seen gamers jumping in retroactively, no doubt down to new entries in the franchise bringing in new players. It also cites strong sales for next-gen versions of games like Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/30/natural-history-expert-reacts-to-monster-hunter-rise"] Not only did this lead to the fourth consecutive year of record profits, but also the eighth consecutive year of operating income growth. Despite receiving the pandemic-related boost that many video game companies have shown in the past year, Capcom's forecasting that it will beat its income and profit records again next year. That will clearly rely on the continuation of the company's strategy of releasing a combination of new titles and providing post-launch support for existing games. Capcom has clearly noticed the popularity of its games in Western markets, stating it saw “growth in overseas revenue due to realizing both expansion of its regional markets and longer product lives for its titles”. It also experienced strong results from digital promotion: “Capcom’s core Digital Contents business drove results with continued success in promoting digital sales”. This is likely a combination of the trend towards gamers purchasing more on digital storefronts, and also COVID-19 closing physical retail sites for much of the year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/05/resident-evil-village-review"] None of this is particularly surprising as Capcom’s games and franchises have been growing from strength to strength over the past few years. With Resident Evil Village launching last week, and upcoming games like The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin coming later this summer, the train shows no sign of slowing down just yet. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman

Astronomers Spot Signs of ‘Spaghettified’ Star Wrapped Around a Black Hole

For the first time ever, astronomers have reportedly spotted signs of a "spaghettified" star wrapping itself around a supermassive black hole. Space.com shared the findings of the study, published by the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society after a group of Dutch astronomers "successfully detected" filaments of material, similar to those of a yarn ball, coiled around a black hole. The authors of the paper believe the spaghetti-like strands belong to a star that has been torn apart by extreme gravitational pressure. The team looked at the spectral absorption lines being emitted from the black hole, which apparently only appear "when material that absorbs part of the electromagnetic radiation obscures the source" — in this instance, that would be the spaghettified star. Bursts of electromagnetic radiation have been spotted emanating from black holes before, but this is the first time observing the material ligaments. [caption id="attachment_2511240" align="alignnone" width="720"]Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech[/caption] The image above serves to illustrate one such tidal disruption event, showing how a star can become gravitationally disrupted when passing within a certain distance of a supermassive black hole. The orange flare being emitted from the star demonstrates the way in which the stellar material is stretched and compressed in the process of being devoured by the black hole. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/10/scientists-have-revealed-the-first-photo-of-a-black-hole"] This research could lead to new insights about black holes and the properties of the powerful cosmic structures, which are so often the subject of scientists' studies. Just last year, Vice reported another astronomical phenomenon when an international team demonstrated how the ring surrounding the M87 black hole, the first body of its type ever photographed, "wobbles" in space and "glitters" in brightness. The team viewed older datasets of the M87 black hole, taken from radio telescopes between 2009 and 2017, to reconstruct the behavior of the cosmic behemoth and try to establish its rough visual history. The data revealed a simulation of how the black hole's outer ring appears to move and fluctuate in brightness due to the turbulence in the flow of the field, which impacts materials around it. "We want to understand the fundamental physics in the extreme conditions in the vicinity of a black hole and learn about how the black hole interacts with the matter in its environment," lead author Maciek Wielgus said at the time. "Studying the dynamics of the crescent-like appearance of a black hole is a way to probe this fascinating environment." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nasa-black-hole-gallery&captions=true"] Towards the end of 2019, NASA released a black hole simulation that showed how gravity warps light within a black hole, and then, a couple of months later, at the beginning of 2020, scientists detected the biggest explosion in the galaxy, believed to be from a supermassive black hole. For more on black holes, read about how one appeared to break the law of physics before being identified as an optical illusion. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.