Monthly Archives: September 2021
Arcane, Netflix’s League of Legends Show Gets November Release Date
Netflix has revealed a November release date of its League of Legends animated show, Arcane.
The show, produced alongside League of Legends developer Riot, will be available to stream from November 6. In addition to the release date news, Netflix has also released a brand new trailer for the show, as part of its Tudum fan event.
Set in the world of Runeterra, Arcane will focus on events taking part in the city of Piltover and its undercity district, Zaun. Due to being a MOBA, much of League of Legends' story is told through lore drops, and so Arcane will be one of the first times that we'll see the wider world of Runeterra in animated, visual form.
Heading up the voice cast is Hailee Steinfeld as Vi, one of LoL's most recognisable characters. Joining her are Jinx, Jayce, Caitlyn, Silco, Mel, Vander, and Viktor, all popular champions from the game.
Arcane will mark Riot's first major step into film, TV, and animated shows, and the company plans to continue expanding into the entertainment business.
Arcane, Netflix’s League of Legends Show Gets November Release Date
Netflix has revealed a November release date of its League of Legends animated show, Arcane.
The show, produced alongside League of Legends developer Riot, will be available to stream from November 6. In addition to the release date news, Netflix has also released a brand new trailer for the show, as part of its Tudum fan event.
Set in the world of Runeterra, Arcane will focus on events taking part in the city of Piltover and its undercity district, Zaun. Due to being a MOBA, much of League of Legends' story is told through lore drops, and so Arcane will be one of the first times that we'll see the wider world of Runeterra in animated, visual form.
Heading up the voice cast is Hailee Steinfeld as Vi, one of LoL's most recognisable characters. Joining her are Jinx, Jayce, Caitlyn, Silco, Mel, Vander, and Viktor, all popular champions from the game.
Arcane will mark Riot's first major step into film, TV, and animated shows, and the company plans to continue expanding into the entertainment business.
The Sandman: We Finally Have Our First Look at Netflix’s Live-Action Series
The first footage from The Sandman live-action TV series has been revealed as part of Netflix's Tudum fan event. This is our very first look at the world of the classic and beloved DC/Vertigo comic brought to life, and so a major moment for the series' fans.
Sandman creator and series Executive Producer Neil Gaiman was joined by cast members Tom Sturridge (Dream), and Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death) to reveal the exclusive footage.
In the below clip, we hear Charles Dance's Roderick Burgess talk about summoning and imprisoning Death itself. He continues to offer items - a coin made from a stone, a feather pulled from an angel's wing, the blood from his veins - in his attempt to bring forward Death. While he doesn't quite get Death, nor his family members Desire, Destiny, or Despair, he does summon Tom Sturridge's Dream of the Endless.
Your Dream is coming true–here’s a first look at The Sandman, featuring Tom Sturridge as Dream of the Endless himself. pic.twitter.com/4pScoJkIpY
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) September 25, 2021
Furthermore, the Tudum panel revealed that new Sandman social pages will allow fans to discover brand new posters featuring the show's characters.
After years of potential movies and shows, Netflix greenlit a live-action adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman in 2019. The 10-episode series will be executive produced by Gaiman and David Goyer, and showrun by Wonder Woman writer Allan Heinberg. This will be a contemporary retelling of the comic, with significant changes to the original story.
The Sandman cast includes Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, AKA Dream of the Endless, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as his sibling, Death.
Previously, Netflix showed a behind-the-scenes look at the props and sets of The Sandman, including Dream's iconic gas-mask-like helmet and the Undercroft.
The Sandman: We Finally Have Our First Look at Netflix’s Live-Action Series
The first footage from The Sandman live-action TV series has been revealed as part of Netflix's Tudum fan event. This is our very first look at the world of the classic and beloved DC/Vertigo comic brought to life, and so a major moment for the series' fans.
Sandman creator and series Executive Producer Neil Gaiman was joined by cast members Tom Sturridge (Dream), and Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Death) to reveal the exclusive footage.
Your Dream is coming true–here’s a first look at The Sandman, featuring Tom Sturridge as Dream of the Endless himself. pic.twitter.com/4pScoJkIpY
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) September 25, 2021
Furthermore, the Tudum panel revealed that new Sandman social pages will allow fans to discover brand new posters featuring the show's characters.
After years of potential movies and shows, Netflix greenlit a live-action adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman in 2019. The 10-episode series will be executive produced by Gaiman and David Goyer, and showrun by Wonder Woman writer Allan Heinberg. This will be a contemporary retelling of the comic, with significant changes to the original story.
The Sandman cast includes Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, AKA Dream of the Endless, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as his sibling, Death.
Previously, Netflix showed a behind-the-scenes look at the props and sets of The Sandman, including Dream's iconic gas-mask-like helmet and the Undercroft.
Aquaman 2: Next DC Film Casts New Villains
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is making more waves with its cast. Warner Bros. has tapped Jani Zhao, Indya Moore, and Vincent Regan to star alongside Jason Momoa in the DC sequel, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Additionally, Randall Park has been confirmed to reprise his role as marine biologist Dr. Stephen Shin from the first film.
Zhao will play Stingray, an original character created for the movie. It is currently unclear where her allegiances will lie in the film. Zhao has an expansive catalog of TV credits in Portugal. The new Aquaman will mark her English-language feature debut.
Moore will portray Karshon, a character that originally appeared as a Green Lantern villain. Originally a shark, Karshon gained an intelligence and telepathic abilities after getting mixed up with some radiation. Moore was a main cast member on the FX series Pose. They also had featured roles in 2019's Queen & Slim and this year's Escape Room: Tournament of Champions.
Regan has been cast as Atlan. Atlan is the ancient ruler of Atlantis who forced the kingdom to sink beneath the ocean. The character was played by Graham McTavish in a brief appearance in the first Aquaman. Regan is no stranger to action blockbusters, having starred in films like 300, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Clash of the Titans.
Zhao, Moore, Regan, and Park join an expansive ensemble that includes many returning cast members from the first Aquaman, including Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Amber Heard, and Dolph Lundgren.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to hit theaters on December 16, 2022. For more about the sequel, read about why director James Wan decided to return for the follow-up.
J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer.
iPhone 13 Pro Doesn’t Play Nice With One of the Best iOS Mobile Controllers
Suppose you are the owner of a Backbone One controller and are interested in picking up the iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max. In that case, you might want to reconsider your purchase. At the moment, the higher-end iPhone 13 models do not properly fit in one of the best iOS mobile controllers, sadly.
The Backbone One is a bone-shaped mobile controller that attaches directly to your iPhone. Unlike some controllers who require a Bluetooth connection, the Backbone One connects to your phone by plugging it into the Lightning connector on the right side of the controller with a design similar to the concept of attaching Joy-Cons to your Nintendo Switch.
Having purchased the recently released iPhone 13 Pro today, I went to try and attach the phone to the Backbone and noticed the camera bump is causing the phone to be less secured when connected, as you can see in the image below. Even worse, I had to take the phone out of its case as the controller made it difficult to connect the phone to my Backbone One.
There were a few issues with the phone staying secured in my device when trying out xCloud and some other mobile games, including Call of Duty: Mobile and some games available on Apple Arcade. Yes, the phone is still connected, but the device is not secured, and there is a chance that over time the tight fit of the controller could cause some issues with the Lightning port on the iPhone 13 Pros down the road.
We reached out to Backbone, and while this can be upsetting to current Backbone One owner and iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max users who may have been interested in purchasing the controller, this may not be the only iOS accessory that causes issues.
Many third-party iOS controller accessories allow you to get more use out of your iPhone, such as the Razer Kishi for iOS, among other devices. Some companies like Otterbox, which now sells a MagSafe mobile gaming clip, circumvent this parrticular issue. Still, for now, iPhone 13 Pro's camera bump will likely be an issue that requires more research before purchasing a third-party iOS gaming accessory.
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Marvel Is Fighting to Keep the Rights to Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Other Iconic Avengers
Marvel and the heirs of comic book legend Steve Ditko are getting ready for a legal battle over the rights of such characters as Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and more.
The Hollywood Reporter details an ensuing fight over the rights to some of Marvel’s biggest characters as the heirs of comic book creators seeks to terminate Marvel’s copyrights over these characters.
The Ditko estate filed a notice of termination on Spider-Man last month, which is allowed for heirs under the 1976 Copyright Act. This can only be done after waiting a set period and for creations assigned to another person or entity.
However, Marvel is fighting back by claiming that these characters were created as “work for hire,” meaning Ditko created these characters for Marvel under contract. If proven this would mean that Marvel — not Ditko — is the original owner of the copyright and therefore cannot have their rights over these characters terminated.
This is the same defense DC Comics used when the creators of Superman attempted to terminate the publishers’ rights to the Man of Steel. Funny enough, Disney has hired Dan Petrocelli at O’Melveny, who represented DC successfully, for its own legal battle.
Similarly, the Ditko estate is being represented by Marc Toberoff, who represented Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster in their fight with DC.
Based on past cases this could be an uphill battle as a similar attempt by Jack Kirby’s estate to wrestle back control of Spider-Man, X-Men, and Hulk back in 2013 was thwarted when the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Kirby created these characters for Marvel as “Work for Hire.”
But that doesn’t mean this case is doomed on arrival. And if successful, Marvel could lose the rights to some of its biggest Avengers in June 2023.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
Life Is Strange Remastered Collection Arrives This February
We already knew that Life is Strange: Remastered Collection, a compilation of the first two installments with enhanced visuals and animations. And today, Square Enix has announced that the game will be available on all major platforms on February 1, 2022.
The game was supposed to release on September 30 of this year, but in August, it was announced that the game would be delayed into next year, citing ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason for pushing back the game's release date.
Life is Strange: Remastered Collection bundles the first Life is Strange and its prequel Before the Storm. The game was announced in March as part of Square Enix Presents live stream. In addition to enhanced visuals and animations, the remasters will also include lighting upgrades, a new game engine, while the remaster for Life is Strange will include new, fully motion-captured facial animations.
The game is available as a standalone purchase for $40 on digital storefronts, such as the PlayStation Store. Additionally, the game was included for those that purchased the ultimate edition of Life is Strange: True Colors, the latest entry in the series released earlier this month.
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Gameplay Footage From Battlefield Mobile Leaks
Footage from Battlefield Mobile seems to have leaked online after playtesting for the game began in Southeast Asia.
As shown on MP1ST, four different clips show off a range of combat as well as loadout customization options, weapon progression, and more. The captured gameplay, which is seemingly taken from an alpha build of the Battlefield Mobile, shows the game running at medium specs. During the action, players can be seen driving tanks, quad bikes, and moving on foot as they attempt to capture various objectives across the map. It's, you know, Battlefield!
Set in a modern or near-future setting, the game will look familiar to fans of the series, and gun customization also appears to be a key feature, with weapon specialization options and a limited number of weapon attachments shown off in the clips.
Despite sharing similarities with Battlefield's flagship series, earlier this year EA General Manager Oskar Gabrielson was keen to talk about the game in its own right. "Make no mistake, this is a standalone game," Gabrielson said in a blog post. "A completely different game from the one we're making for console and PC, designed specifically for the mobile platform."
News of the leaked footage may not come as too much of a surprise to Battlefield fans. Earlier this month, EA announced that it was rolling out Android-only play tests for the game across fall in Indonesia and the Philippines. The publisher added at the time that more regions would join the play testing list as it continued.
Battlefield Mobile has not yet received an official release date, but the game is slated to launch in 2022. At release, it will be a free-to-play title with cosmetic-only items available for purchase in-game.
While Battlefield Mobile continues to work towards its launch next year, EA recently announced that Battlefield 2042 would be remaining in development for a little while longer. While counting down to 2042's new November release date, make sure to check out the rumored Battlefield 2042 Hazard Zone game mode detailed in a recent datamine.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Doctor Who: Russell T Davies Will Return as Showrunner
The BBC has announced that Russell T Davies will return as showrunner for Doctor Who, starting with the show's 60th anniversary.
Revealed on the Doctor Who website, Russell T Davies will replace exiting showrunner Chris Chibnall, who leaves the show along with current Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, next year. Davies will make his return with the 60th Anniversary episode of Doctor Who in 2023, "and series beyond" according to the BBC.
“I’m beyond excited to be back on my favourite show," said Davies. "But we’re time-travelling too fast, there’s a whole series of Jodie Whittaker’s brilliant Doctor for me to enjoy, with my friend and hero Chris Chibnall at the helm – I’m still a viewer for now.”
When his tenure as showrunner begins, Doctor Who will shift production studios to Bad Wolf, the television company founded by Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter. Both Gardner and Tranter were key producers of Doctor Who during Davie's original run on the show.
“It’s monumentally exciting and fitting that Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary will see one of Britain’s screenwriting diamonds return home," said Chris Chibnall. "Russell built the baton that is about to be handed back to him - Doctor Who, the BBC, the screen industry in Wales, and let’s be honest everyone in the whole world, have so many reasons to be Very Excited Indeed about what lies ahead.”
Russell T Davies was responsible for resurrecting Doctor Who in 2005, after it had been off the air for over fifteen years. He was showrunner for four series of the show, plus a number of special episodes. Those years covered the tenures of both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant, and are widely considered by the Doctor Who fandom to be the show's best era.
For more from Doctor Who, take a look at our review of the most recent episode, Revolution of the Daleks, and our trio of Doctors interview with David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Jodie Whittaker.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.